Seated Śākyamuni Buddha in Meditation

This small sculpture in dark, reddish-brown bronze is the oldest Chinese Buddhist work of art in the Saint Louis Art Museum’s collection. It portrays the historical Śākyamuni Buddha seated on a low lion throne. His head is tilted forward and his hands are held together with fingers interlocked in the dhyāna mudrā gesture of meditation. The Buddha is draped with a robe that has parallel curves, typical of early Chinese Buddhist images.

The sculpture was once backed with a flaming mandorla or halo and sat on a footed pedestal; both attachments are now lost. Although no traces of gold remain on this object, such small devotional images were usually sumptuously gilded to impart a sense of preciousness.