Beschreibung:

Lot details Thailand, 15th-17th century. Cast with thin and elongated fingers neatly detailed with nails and creases, finely modeled in the vitarka mudra which represents the gesture of debate, the palm with a raised design of a stylized floral blossom with circular petals to the center. Provenance: From a private collection in South Carolina, USA. Condition: Good condition with old wear, casting flaws, small nicks, remnants of gilt. Fine, dark patina. Weight: 1,232 g (incl. stand) Dimensions: Height 23.3 cm Mounted to a wood stand. (2) The vitarka mudra symbolizes teaching and discussion. It shows the transmission of knowledge and insight, gained after reaching enlightenment. Expert’s note: The present lot is a rare example of a Buddhist figure’s hand due to its unusually large size. The hand of a Thai Buddhist standing figure from the period is approximately 10-15% the size of the total figure, if not less. According to this conservative estimate, the figure the present hand once belonged to would have had a total height of approximately 160 cm or more. Literature comparison: Compare two related earlier Thai bronze hands, dated to the 14th century, in the collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, accession numbers 1994-148-771 and 1994-148-770. Note that the fingernails are already detailed on these hands, whereas the creases between the joints (as found on the present lot) are not.