Khmer Empire, 12th-13th century. Finely cast standing in samapada with his hands thrust forward in abhaya mudra with chakras on the palms. He is dressed in a sheer robe that hangs gracefully from his forearms, with a beaded pleat and tapering hems, secured at the waist by a belt suspending tassels, and richly adorned with ornate jewelry. His serene face with large eyes and raised urna, the hair arranged in neat rows pulled up into a conical chignon secured by the flared tiara.

Provenance: From the private collection of Darwin Freeman, collected between 1968 and 1971, and thence by descent within the same family. Born 1946 in Idaho, USA, Darwin Freeman was a member of the armed forces and later became an avid collector. He met his wife in the mid-1960s, and the pair later relocated to her hometown of Innsbruck, Austria. In 1967, Freeman was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in Germany and Thailand. While he was stationed at the Embassy in Bangkok, between 1969 and 1971, he actively began engaging in the exploration and collection of ancient bronzes and other works of art. Upon completing his duty, Freeman arranged for his collection to be shipped to Austria, where it remained in storage until this day.
Condition: Very good condition, commensurate with age. Extensive wear, signs of weathering and erosion, casting flaws, small nicks, scratches, encrustations. The bronze covered in a rich, naturally grown patina with bright malachite encrustations.

Weight: 3,971 g (excl. stand) and 5,872 g (incl. stand)
Dimensions: Height 42.1 cm (excl. stand) and 53.8 cm (incl. stand)

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bronze figure of crowned Buddha holding his hands in abhaya mudra, 31.1 cm high, dated 12th-13th century, in the Harvard Art Museum, accession number 1989.55. Compare a closely related bronze figure of crowned Buddha, 27.1 cm high, dated 11th-12th century, in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, accession number 99.216.8.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Closely related
Auction: Christie's New York, 20 March 2012, lot 177
Price: USD 30,000 or approx. EUR 40,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing
Description: A bronze figure of Buddha, Khmer, Angkor period, 12th century
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject, modeling, and manner of casting with a similar patina. Note the smaller size (34.9 cm).