Southeast Asia, Ayuthaya, ca. late 18th century CE. A fine bronze Laos Buddha, with elegant face and detailed hair. Buddha's hands are shown in the Dhyani or meditation mudra. The crown of the Buddha’s head, representing the spiritual intensity of the Buddha and often referred to as the flame aureole, is quite prominent in this piece. Size: 4-3/4"H.

A bit of history on Buddhism in Laos - Buddhism was introduced to Laos as early as the first millennium CE, but was not widely practiced until the late 13th century. Buddhism was established as the state religion by founder of Lane Xang (1353-1371) but the worship of animist spirits continued to predominate for centuries. By the 17th century, Buddhism had begun to be taught in schools in Laos.

Provenance: Ex-private Palm Beach, Florida collection, acquired between 1980 and 1990.

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#102581

Roughness to underside of base. Some remains of original gilding