Seated Buddha

CHINA; Tang dynasty

The Buddha sits cross-legged upon a multi-petaled lotus throne that is supported on a reverse lotus base. The figure’s right hand is raised in a mudra with two fingers turned inward, while the left hand rests upon the thigh. A sleeved monastic robe opens to reveal the diagonal fall of the inner robe.
The Buddha’s hair and usnisa are carved in a pattern of swirls, and incised eyebrows lead to a broad nose. The long eyes are half closed and the mouth is pursed above a prominent chin. The neck has the three lines that signify a great person. The peach-shaped nimbus has a blue-banded edge, and is enclosed within a plain mandorla. The inscription on the stepped rectangular base dates the sculpture to 689 and identifies Feng Yali as the person who commissioned the statue.