A fine and expressive representation of the Buddha from the Shan cultural region of eastern Burma, dating from the late 18th or 19th century. Cast in bronze, the sculpture is distinguished by the elegance of its silhouette, the richness of its incised decoration, and the remarkable graphic quality of its details.
 
The Buddha is depicted seated cross-legged upon a tall, tiered architectural throne characteristic of devotional images from the region. His right hand extends down along the knee, with elongated fingers pointing towards the earth in the earth-touching gesture, while the left hand rests in his lap, palm facing upwards. This iconography evokes the moment of Enlightenment, when the Buddha calls upon the Earth Goddess to bear witness to his merits in the face of Māra’s assaults.
The face displays a particularly gentle expression, with a broad forehead, deeply incised and half-closed almond-shaped eyes, arched eyebrows, a straight nose, and a mouth forming a subtle smile. The exceptionally elongated ears, with stylised and engraved auricles, frame the face and descend almost to the shoulders.
 
The hair is arranged in small, tightly curled locks rendered in pronounced relief, covering a tall conical ushnisha, itself surmounted by a prominent bud-shaped finial. The vigorous treatment of the hair contrasts with the smoother, more luminous surfaces of the face.
The monastic robe leaves much of the torso exposed and passes diagonally over the left shoulder. Its borders are enhanced with rich incised decoration comprising chevrons, parallel lines, and scalloped motifs. This treatment continues on the reverse, where a long ornamental band runs vertically down the centre of the back. The attention devoted to this normally less visible area testifies to the decorative ambition of the bronze caster.
 
The throne forms an integral part of the architecture of the sculpture. Flared in form and constructed in several successive registers, it is articulated by horizontal mouldings and engraved geometric friezes of chevrons, undulating lines, and repetitive motifs. Its pyramidal mass provides a powerful counterpoint to the Buddha’s slender verticality, giving the composition a particularly harmonious and balanced silhouette.
 
The surface of the bronze displays a fine old golden-brown patina, darker in the recesses and punctuated in places by traces of light green oxidation. The raised areas, naturally polished over time, reveal the warm tone of the metal. Traces of reddish material also remain in some of the recesses. The open base reveals the hollow casting and remnants of core material preserved within, characteristic of the traditional lost-wax casting process.
 
With its serene expression, slender proportions, controlled exuberance of the coiffure, and above all the abundance of its engraved decoration, this sculpture belongs firmly within the Buddhist artistic tradition of the Shan States, whose workshops developed highly distinctive regional interpretations of Burmese models.