19th Century Seated Bronze Gandhara Teaching Buddha

Ca. 19th century Gandhara Teaching Buddha.
The bodies profile is with broad shoulders and slender waist, covered by a Sanghati robe worn over both shoulders.
The Buddha features an oval face, with almond shaped downcast eyes. Curved eyebrows meet above a prominent nose, and contoured lips with an exalted expression, appear smiling. His high ushnisha symbolizes his high level of spiritual development. His earlobes are stretched long from a youth spent as a prince wearing heavy gold earrings.
The Buddha is seated in the padmasana or full lotus position, on a lotus throne, with his hands raised in front of his chest in the dharmachakra mudra. In sanskrit dharmachakra means the 'Wheel of Dharma'. This mudra symbolises one of the most important moments in the life of Buddha, the occasion when he preached to his companions the first sermon after his Enlightenment in the Deer Park at Sarnath. It therefore denotes the setting into motion of the Wheel of the teaching of the Dharma. In this mudra the thumb and index finger of both hands touch at their tips to form a circle. This circle represents the Wheel of Dharma, or in metaphysical terms, the union of method and wisdom.
The Buddha is seated on a plain pedestal decorated with lotus flower leaves.
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Provenance: Private US Collection

Medium: Bronze

Dimensions: 66cm / 26”

General Condition: Good condition. Consistent with age.

SCBR2300
Condition Report: Good condition. Consistent with age