A GILT-LACQUERED BRONZE FIGURE OF STANDING BUDDHA SHAKYAMUNI, RATTANAKOSIN KINGDOMThailand, reign of King Rama III, 1824-1851. Standing in samabhanga on an elaborate octagonal stepped base decorated with geometric and floral designs, the left hand raised in abhaya mudra, his close-fitting sanghati finely cast with diapered floral designs and embellished in ‘gesso’ conveying a lavishly embroidered cloth which is neatly draped over the left shoulder. The face with a calm expression with downcast almond-shaped eyes, gently arched eyebrows, and a subtle smile, flanked by long earlobes, the hair in tight curls surmounted by a flaming ushnisha. The base with a loop for attachment in the temple.Provenance: From an old German private collection, acquired before 2007.Condition:mensurate with age, flaking to gilt and lacquer, casting flaws, small cracks, minor losses, small nicks and dents. Signs of weathering, corrosion, and malachite encrustations. The statue intentionally leaning forward.Weight: 18.1 kgDimensions: Height 79.5 cmBuddha images wearing such patterned robes, a symbol of royalty, were introduced during the reign of King Rama III (reigned 1824-1851) and disappeared thereafter. It is thus most likely that this majestic sculpture was one such royalmission produced under King Rama III’s reign.Literatureparison:See further examples of Rattanakosin-period gilt-lacquer bronze Buddha images discussed in Rod-Ari, The Buddha as Sacred Siamese King: Brocaded Buddhas of the Third Reign, The Walters Art Museum Journal, vol. 73, 2018, figs. 1-5.Auction resultparison:Type: RelatedAuction: Lempertz, Cologne, 11 December 2021, lot 28Price: EUR 10,000 or approx.EUR 11,500 adjusted for inflation at the time of writingDescription: Buddha with alms bowl. Bronze, gilded over black lacquer. Thailand. Rattanakosin, 19th centuryExpert remark:pare the related pose and decoration. Note the different positions of the hands and slightly larger size (92.5 cm).