Page 49 - 2021 March 15th Fine Chinese Paintings and Works of Art, Bonhams NYC New York

For another gilt-bronze figure of Buddha Sakyamuni of similar
size, see James Spencer, Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Chang
Foundation, Taipei, 1993, pp. 38-39, no. 12. The figure is less
slender in the middle torso than ours but the wide shoulders certainly
bear comparison as does the treatment of the lotus base. In our
figure, the petals continue around the entire circumference, unlike the
Chang Foundation example.

Buddha Sakyamuni was the founder of Buddhism and according to
tradition he lived from circa 565 to 485 BCE in an area which now lies
on the border of India and Nepal. His was known as Siddartha of the
Sakya clan. The term ‘muni’ means holy man, ascetic, saint, sage, and
is also interpreted as benevolent, kind and charitable. Thus Sakyamuni
means “The Benevolent Holy Man of the Sakya clan.”

In Mahayana Buddhism, which prevailed in China, Buddha Sakyamuni
was the fourth of a series of five Manusi or earthly Buddhas and before
his death he foretold the coming of the fifth earthly Buddha, Maitreya.

For a larger lacquered wood figure bearing very similar facial features
particularly the strong triangular nose and also with the wide shoulders
prefered during the Kangxi era, see Sotheby’s, New York, Footsteps
of the Buddha: Masterworks from across the Buddhist World, 3
September 2013, lot 27.

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