G756.1 A COLOSSAL GILDED AND LACQUERED WOOD RECLINING BUDDHA

LAOS

19^TH CENTURY

L. 125 CMS, 49 INS

H. 56 CMS, 22 INS

D. 30.5 CMS, 12 INS

An extremely large gilded and lacquered wood figure of the Buddha, reclining in parinirvana on a rectangular dais, the face tranquil and smiling, his head supported by a round pillow with a lotus motif, his left arm in a relaxed posture along his side, the chignon with large curls and topped by a tall flame finial, with extensive gilding, red and black lacquer remaining.

The subject matter of this image is the passage of the Buddha into Nirvana. He lies down on a royal couch in the sala grove of the Malla kings beside the Hirannavati River. Surrounded by his faithful monks he utters his final words: “Everything is subject to change; strive on without delay”, and at dawn on the following day passed into the great Nirvana.

The Laotian kingdom of Lan Xang or Lan Chang was established during the 14th century and ruled by Thais. Its northern capital of Luang Prabang was subjected to cultural influences from the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, while its southern capital, Vientiane, absorbed Khmer and Ayutthaya (Thai) motifs.

For a closely related bronze parinirvana Buddha from Laos, see page 229 in S. Lopetcharat, Lao Buddha: The Image and Its History, Bangkok: Siam International Book Company, 2000.

Provenance: From a collection in the West of England.

Previously in a collection in the Netherlands.

Previously in the Martin Kerner collection, Germany.