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Item id: 10751

This monumental Korean bronze Buddha head is among the largest and most commanding examples of its kind that one is likely to encounter. Although substantial measurements are provided, the head feels even larger in person due to its powerful volume, weight, and commanding presence. The dimensions do not include any finial above the ushnisha or much of the neck, emphasizing that this is truly a massive sculptural fragment rather than a conventional head study.

At first glance, the broad planes of the forehead and nose can suggest a surprisingly modern sensibility, initially raising questions of a later date. However, closer examination reveals clear and convincing evidence of genuine age. Most striking are the snail curls, each individually sculpted and separately attached to the head. This highly labor-intensive method of construction would have required extraordinary skill and time. Several curls are now missing, and the attachment points show unmistakable signs of age and long-term wear. The remaining curls themselves display softened contours consistent with centuries of handling and exposure.

Equally compelling is the surface patina. The entire head is covered in a smooth, deep, and mellow patination that can only develop through long passage of time. This is not a surface that can be convincingly replicated, and it lends the sculpture a quiet authority and warmth. The large, bulbous eyes give the Buddha an arresting and deeply contemplative expression, unlike most examples. Combined with the unusually rounded head and distinctive nose, the face is instantly recognizable and unlike any other Buddha head.

It remains uncertain whether this work was conceived as a head alone or originally formed part of a monumental seated or standing Buddha. If originally part of a complete figure, the full sculpture would have been truly temple-scale, potentially seated at eight to ten feet tall or standing twelve to fifteen feet in height. Research has revealed a small number of 19th-century Korean Buddhas with related facial profiles and eye forms, lending support to a Korean attribution and an antique date.

This is a rare and extraordinary bronze Buddha head that stands apart from conventional examples, both in scale and character. Serious collectors of Korean Buddhist sculpture will recognize the importance of a piece of this size, presence, and individuality.