Buddha, 1800-1850
Carved from a single piece of wood, this statue of Buddha is from Burma. The Buddha is seated in the bhumisparsha padmasana mudra (earth-touching or witness gesture seated in the lotus position) on a low pedestal. Dressed in monastic robes, his hair is decorated with a narrow band which rises to an unisha (top knot). Buddhism is the state religion of Burma, or as it is now recognised by the United Nations, Myanmar, with over 89% of its population practising the teachings of Buddha.
