Buddha

Anonyme

This fine standing Buddha in gilt bronze comes from the Cernuschi bequest (1896). It bears the reign mark of Emperor Xuande (r. 1426-1435) at the front of the base. The standing position, without any bending (abhanga), and the garment, a superposition of monastic robe and coat with multiple drapery, a distant echo of the art of Gandhara, are evocative of a certain iconography. It is thought to be a reproduction of the famous Buddha statue made in secret on the orders of Udāyana, king of Kauśambi, as a portrait of the Blessed. This ancient and august portrait is thought to have come to the Far East in the early period of Buddhism and to have inspired numerous sculptures over the centuries.