Day 108 - Sri Lankan Buddha
December 7, 2018
Gallery 242 is a vey small gallery containing objects, mostly statuettes, that come from Sri Lanka and date from the second through the 18th century. Almost of the images are of Buddha or bodhisattvas, and I read that the art and culture of the island were (are?) predominantly Buddhist. One exception is a small early 19h century ivory figuren of a king. The king's hand is, however, raised in the "abhaya mudra," signifying compassionate protection, or "all is well," that characterizes so many depictions of Buddha himself.
One such depiction is today's image, an18th century statue of Buddha perhaps 24 inches high and made of copper alloy covered with gilding. The workmanship is quite extaordinary, with a marked contrast between the smooth skin and the many wavy pleats of Buddha's robe. The figure's rounded cheeks are offset by a sharp, almost aquiline, nose. His well-articulated ears are adorned wih long rectangular earrings. His hair falls in small, tight curls that, interestingly, are not gilded, the better to stand out. He wears a crown that seems to represent fire, although I may be totally wong about this.
What draws my attention is his upraised palm, which is incised with a number of flowers. Are they lotuses, like the top of the base on which the figure stands? If so, the observer (that's me!), upon seeing the palm, would be called to reflect on the fact that, like the lotus, goodness and purity have the potential to rise fom the muck of our human nature. But it occurs to me that Buddha, too, every time he looked at his palm, would have this constant reminder of his path to enlightenment.
One such depiction is today's image, an18th century statue of Buddha perhaps 24 inches high and made of copper alloy covered with gilding. The workmanship is quite extaordinary, with a marked contrast between the smooth skin and the many wavy pleats of Buddha's robe. The figure's rounded cheeks are offset by a sharp, almost aquiline, nose. His well-articulated ears are adorned wih long rectangular earrings. His hair falls in small, tight curls that, interestingly, are not gilded, the better to stand out. He wears a crown that seems to represent fire, although I may be totally wong about this.
What draws my attention is his upraised palm, which is incised with a number of flowers. Are they lotuses, like the top of the base on which the figure stands? If so, the observer (that's me!), upon seeing the palm, would be called to reflect on the fact that, like the lotus, goodness and purity have the potential to rise fom the muck of our human nature. But it occurs to me that Buddha, too, every time he looked at his palm, would have this constant reminder of his path to enlightenment.
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