dry lacquer Buddha (figure)

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Accession/loan number

E321

On display

Production date

1752 to 1885

Production place

Materials

dry lacquer; bamboo; gold leaf

Dimensions

whole depth 600 mm
whole height 1350 mm
whole width 1100 mm

Function

A hollow lacquer sculpture which depicts a serene looking Buddha with a tall cranial protruberance (ushnisha), sitting cross-legged (padmasana) in the lotus posture. His right hand is in the earth-witness gesture (bhumisparshamudra) and his left hand is in meditation (dhyanamudra). His long earlobes and long fingers are signs of his enlightenment. He wears a simple robe and sits on a base of lotus petals. The face is somewhat triangular in shape and reflects the medieval style developed at Pagan. The right hand gesture represents a specific point in the Buddha’s life. The depiction of the middle finger touching the earth is common and reflects a moment when the Buddha responds to the devil Mara’s challenge to his right to enlightenment. The Buddha calls upon Mother Earth herself to bear witness to his long evolutionary struggle, over billions of lifetimes, to come to this moment. The Shakyamuni Buddha is the Buddha of our historical period. A Buddha is a being, both human and divine, male or female, who has become awakened from the sleep of ignorance and has purified all evil. A being uses their power and compassion for the benefit of all. A Buddha is a form of life that has achieved the highest evolutionary perfection possible. Presented to the Devon & Exeter Institution by Captain George Truscott (possibly the same Captain Truscott of the East India Company Army) shortly after the First Anglo-Burmese War. Transferred to the Museum in 1873.

Museum categories

Collection place

Topic and project tags

Time Period

Konbaung Dynasty (1752-1885)

Descriptions

This seated Buddha, which is of good condition, is made of wood, preserved in lacquer and decorated with gold leaf. He sits with the soles of his feet in his lap, with his left hand in dhyanamudra (meditation), and the right hand in bhumisparsamudra (touching the earth). The fingers are exaggeratedly long. The robe on the chest is plain, but over the legs forms rippling drapery. The face is rectangular and indicates influence from the medieval style developed at Pagan. The eyebrows are stylized and almost form an ‘L’-shaped outline. An inscription around the base reads in English ‘Sitting Budh or Buddha. A Burmese Idol’. It has been suggested that this was inscribed after the sculpture reached Exeter (Isaacs 2000:130).

The donor of the piece was Captain Truscott of the East India Company Army who acquired it during the 1st Anglo-Burmese War (1824-6).

Although a date of late 18th/early 19th century has been suggested, an exact provenance is unknown (Isaacs 2000:130). The piece is significant to the collection and has been documented in ‘Vision from the Golden Land, Burma and the Art of Lacquer’ (Isaacs 2000:130). There is almost an exact copy currently in the British Museum.

On 6 September 2022 RAMM hosted ten internationally renowned writers, poets and spoken word artists as part of a partnership with the Museum of Colour. The Museum of Colour is a digital museum that explores the contribution made by People of Colour to the nation’s culture, specifically in film, television and the arts. Mona Arshi, Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Fred D'Aguiar, Jennifer Lee Tsai, Adam Lowe, Shivanee Ramlochan, Jacob Sam-La Rose, John Siddique, Yomi Sode and Yusra Warsama performed specially written pieces, influenced and inspired by objects in the collections at RAMM accompanied by live music from composer Randolph Matthews. The event is part of Museum of Colour's exhibition 'My Words', celebrating the legacy of poets of Colour in Britain over 250 years. John Siddique wrote a poem in response to this statue https://museumofcolour.org.uk/my-words/response-gallery/john-siddique?piece=8

This object is on display at RAMM in the World Cultures gallery.