Seated Buddha

Arakan period, 17th century

Bronze

H31 x 17.5 cm

This finely cast bronze Buddha from 17th-century Arakan is seated in vajrāsana, the posture of meditation. The Buddha’s right hand is extended in the gesture of bhūmisparśa mudrā, while the left hand gently holds a small offering bowl. In his right hand he grasps a myrobalan fruit, long associated with the Buddha as a “universal healer.” it expresses his ability to cure not only physical pain, but also the deeper suffering of existence. His serene facial expression, with downcast eyes and softly arched brows, reflects profound inner calm.

The figure wears an elaborate multi-tiered crown characteristic of Arakan courtly Buddhist iconography. The crown rises in a sequence of flame-like points surrounding a central finial and flanked by stylized side ornaments. Large circular earrings and a finely detailed torso covering—decorated with rows of beaded patterns and pendant elements—underscore the royal, almost celestial nature of the depiction.

The sculpted robes fall in graceful folds over the crossed legs, and the back of the figure shows further delicate incised decoration. The Buddha sits atop a stepped pedestal with sharply defined edges, giving the sculpture a sense of stability and monumentality. The dark, naturally patinated bronze surface enhances its sense of age and sacred presence.