Country Group: South and Southeast Asia (Thailand, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam)

Item id: 1159

This is an authentic, large Arakan bronze Buddha from the 18t or 19th centuries. This style is related to the more common Shan style, but the casting and alloys are different, as are the face, the turned out hand, and the overall feel of the piece. Arakan is the part of Burma nearest to India, and it had had its own distinctive culture and art for millennia. The mountains which separate it from the rest of Burma have allowed it to have great kingdoms rise and fall through the ages all the way up to near the present. This lovely Buddha sits an impressive 15.5 inches tall by 8.75 inches wide at the base. The condition is excellent. A piece of this size in this kind of condition is quite hard to find today. The gilding may not be original, but it is certainly quite old. In Burma it is usual for pieces to be maintained as they pass through time. The face is classic Arakan- serene, and made to be placed in a high place to be looked up at.