Sri Lankan bronze Buddha,

18th century
height: 31 cm

A bronze standing Buddha from the Kandyan period on a wooden pedestal. The buddha with remains of lacquer and polychrome paint to the front and the back with natural bronze patination.

The Kandyan period introduced a new aesthetic style of the Buddha image with the pleated robe recalling the robes of the earlier Anuradhapura period. In this distinctive Kandyan style all the pleats are in a zig zag pattern giving the impression of movement as in this example. The right hand is held in re-assurance and the forehead has engraved the distinctive spiritual symbol OM rarely seen on Sri Lankan images.

The wooden stand appears to be of the period.