Buddha Maravijaya Burmese Konbaung Period

Imposing Maravijaya Buddha in carved wood, covered with wine-colored lacquer and gilding. Burma (Myanmar), Shan princely states, Konbaung period (1752-1885). He is represented in vajrāsana, seated on a stylized double lotiform base. His right hand touches the earth to call upon his goddess to bear witness to his victory over Māra, lord of illusions and obstacles, to achieve Enlightenment. The sculpture, perfectly preserved in its entirety, presents a particularly refined ornamentation. The back of the throne, decorated with a double register of lotus petals, reveals the open reliquary cavity. On this piece, the flame of the ushnisha is attached. H 89 cm x W 38 cm x D 27 cm Weight: 16.58 kg Provenance: Succession Claude de Marteau Sold with certificate of provenance In Theravāda iconography, the position of the bhumusparsha mudra is omnipresent, particularly in Burmese and Thai statues. Buddha is represented in a meditative posture, legs crossed in the lotus position, the left hand resting on his knees in a gesture of concentration, while the right hand touches the ground with the tips of his fingers. This gesture evokes the moment when Siddhārtha Gautama, confronted with the assaults of the demon Māra, invokes the earth as a witness to his merits accumulated over the course of his past lives. According to tradition, the earth itself responds by unleashing a flood that washes away Mara's forces, thus sealing the Buddha's victory over illusions and his access to enlightenment. In Thailand, this posture is particularly associated with the iconography of Sukhothai and Rattanakosin-style Buddhas, where she is often depicted with slender forms and a serene expression, emphasizing the idea of transcendence and spiritual purity. In Burma, particularly in the Mandalay and Konbaung styles, the same posture is ubiquitous, but the statues often present a more rounded and benevolent face, with minute details on the folds of the garment and the ornamentation of the base. This iconography expresses a fundamental aspect of Theravāda Buddhism: the importance of the pāramī (perfections) accumulated by the Buddha through his previous lives and the primacy of karma in the path to enlightenment. Unlike the Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna traditions, where Buddha is often depicted in transcendent forms or adorned with esoteric symbols, Theravāda favors a refined and didactic approach, centered on the historical example of Gautama Buddha. Thus, the posture of taking the earth as witness becomes a constant reminder for the faithful of the power of merit and the determination necessary to achieve liberation. See this Burmese Maravijaya Buddha from the Konbaung period in full screen mode on Vintage Addict