An alabaster Buddha under the Bodhi tree

Ava period, 18th-19th century

Alabaster with a nice patina

H18cm

Private German collection 

This charming sculpture shows the historical Buddha, seated in bhumisparsha mudra, beneath the Bodhi tree. The Bodhi tree, according to Buddhist tradition, is the specific sacred fig tree under which the Buddha sat when he attained Enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India.  The sacred fig has a distinctive heart-shaped leaf, clearly visible in the statue.  The throne, where the Buddha is seated on, is sculpted in a delicate way. The wide ears of the Buddha are carved harmoniously in the canopy of the tree.