Buddha Sakyamuni (Shijia) The Historical Buddha in the "Lotus Position"

Sakyamuni sits in the “Lotus position“ and shows the mudra of fearlessness. The double pedestal is formed of lotus blossoms, Buddha himself embodies the purity of the lotus blossom. The iconographical tradition of this gilt sculpture is based on representations from the 14th century, when Tibetan Buddhism was fostered by the ruling house during the Yuan dynasty (1279–1368). Many bronze figures were dedicated to Buddhist monasteries as imperial endowments, a tradition preserved for centuries. The Quianlong emperor (1735–1796) was a professed adherent to Tibetan Buddhism, thus following his ancestors in this as well as in many other things. Typical of the 18th century is the over-dimensional scale of the figures; the “models” were not half their size.