18th-19th Century Burmese Alabaster Buddha
18th-19th Century Burmese Alabaster Buddha
18th-19th Century Burmese Alabaster Buddha statue is a quintessential example of Shan craftsmanship. While central Burmese styles (like Ava and Mandalay) began to dominate the region, this piece retains the distinct “ethnic Shan” characteristics that define the spiritual art of the eastern plateau.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Late 18th -19th Century Burmese Alabaster Buddha
This 18th-19th Century Burmese Alabaster Buddha statue is notable for its features which distinguishes it from more angular provincial styles. This “moon-faced” serenity is a classical trait of the late Ava (Innwa) period, suggesting the piece was carved by a master artisan influenced by the royal court styles of central Burma while retaining the distinct sculptural motifs in Shan tradition.
Stylistic Markers
- The Countenance: The face is beautifully proportioned with soft, rounded cheeks and a gentle, level gaze. This fullness conveys a sense of youthful vitality and supreme equanimity, typical of high-quality 18th-century carvings.
- Pedestal: Pedestal: While the face leans toward the central Burmese “Ava” ideal, the waisted double lotus pedestal remains classic Tai Yai a thin waisted double lotus high pedestal with a thin waist.
- Monolithic Alabaster: Carved from a single, substantial block of white alabaster, the piece shows incredible fluidity. The transition from the rounded face to the graceful, tapered fingers of the Bhumisparsha mudra (Earth Witness) is seamless.
- Gilded Patina: The statue is dressed in original gold leaf over red lacquer. The natural thinning of the gilding on the most rounded surfaces like the cheeks and the knees highlights the underlying translucency of the stone and confirms its long-standing age.
