Standing Buddha

SRI LANKA

The eyes of the statue were once inlaid with gems, although only one now remains. An aperture on top of the head was probably for the placement of the flame ornament commonly seen on Sri Lankan statues of Sakyamuni Buddha. Although small in size the statue has considerable weight, probably due to the high amount of lead mixed in the metal alloy.
The Buddha stands in a rigid posture with the right hand raised. The hands are disproportionately large and have the long slender fingers of equal length that, along with the extended earlobes, are traditional characteristics of a Buddha. The figure wears a monastic robe that leaves the right shoulder bare, with the long fold of the material arranged neatly over the other shoulder. The left hand holds out the slack of the robe in a fashion characteristic of Sri Lankan art.