Country Group:

Item id: 9568

6-9th Century (plus or minus a century or two) Silla Dynasty Buddha. Extremely large for its type at 16.5 INCHES tall. Superb face. Korean national treasure number 79 (from 709 A.D.) has the same form, including the shape of the base, the type of robes, and the bump on top of the head. That one is a classic extremely fine gilded bronze with an intricate back plate, so at first sight it looks quite different than this one. Still, when you spend time looking at the two next to each other, you can see how someone during that time period With deep devotion and love in their heart, but without extensive training in the craft of casting bronze statues could have easily made this sculpture. It has a strong Gandharan look to the robes- especially in the way they close around the neck. It is also possible that it is a Silk Road piece that has combined elements of a number of cultures. My feeling is that the style suggests a dating as early as 5/6thC, but the large size, provincial sculpting, casting, and finishing make it more likely to be late in the Silla Dynasty. The condition is excellent for such a large early piece-The only issue is that the bottom has collapsed in on itself to some extent so that left to its own, it leans to one side. I had a custom base made that allows it to sit straight, as you can see in the photos. I did not believe it is a good idea to try and correct this. While the underside looks quite solid and stable, I would not try and mess with it as it is probably brittle given that it likely is 1,000+ years old. It is the incredibly gentle, joy-filled face, the very large size at 16.5 inches tall, and the extremely early dating for a Korean bronze figure that makes this such an extreme rarity for a Korean Bronze Sculpture. Search the internet for comps and you will see what I mean! There is some possibility it is a few hundred years later due to the very large size and provincial nature(but no more than 13/14th at the absolute latest) as a revival piece, though my feeling is that it can be attributed to an earlier date. I've not seen another like it myself. Starting price was greatly reduced from the original. Will not go lower. ( 16.5" x 6.25" x 6.25 )