BUDDHA SAKYAMUNI

This unique bronze of the historical Buddha Sakyamuni displays traditional Mon Dvaravati features. The figure holds his left hand in abhayamudra and his right in varadamudra, signifying fearlessness and blessing. A long garment is draped over Buddha’s left shoulder, leaving the right shoulder bare, and falls to his ankles. The Mon Dvaravati arose in the 6th century in present-day Thailand. The Dvaravati kingdom’s visual language, and the recognizable iconography of Buddha Sakyamuni in particular, had a significant and long-lasting impact on the further evolution of Buddhist art across Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia.