18th Century Thai Stone Naga Enthroned Meditation

Ca. 18th century Thai style meditation Buddha, seated on a simple three-tired throne, with the flaring head of a giant Naga, the serpent King Muchalinda, rising behind protectively behind. His hands are in the Dhyana mudra, the gesture of Medtiation. The Buddha's face is serene, with a naturalistic and warm expression; his ushnisha is topped by tightly wound hair curls. The serpent is very well rendered and symmetrical. Wonderful detail on each face. The throne is formed by the coils of the serpent. The story told here being that Muchalinda protected the Buddha from heavy rain. This iconography is typical of the reign of Khmer King Jayavarman VII (ca. 1181 to 1218 CE), who established a cult based around it. The statue is carved in the round, rather than as a relief on a stela. From this, we can infer that Khmer sculptors would have desired their artwork to be viewed from all sides and thus placed in the center of temples rather than against a wall. While this artwork was religious - priests supervised its execution - its realism is unmistakable.
Provenance: Ex- private UK Collection.
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Provenance: Private UK Collection

Medium: Stone

Dimensions: 52cm / 21”

General Condition: Good condition. Consistent with age.

SCST234
Condition Report: Good condition. Consistent with age.