A Pagoda in the Palm

Viewing notes

A viewer's written impression — not a buyer review or first-hand record

This copper-toned Buddha sits in full lotus on a double lotus throne. The snail-curl hair is neatly ordered, a small urna marks the brow, a swastika rests on the chest, and a fine scrolling pattern runs along the robe's edge. The right hand rests on the right knee, palm turned openly upward with fingers falling naturally; the left hand, in the lap, gently cradles a small tiered pagoda, its storeys narrowing as they rise — a delicate point of detail amid the robe's clean folds. The copper is a warm red-brown, the lotus petals full, and the upright posture carries an undertow of ease: the open palm grasps at nothing, while the hand with the pagoda is perfectly steady. For devotional contemplation, or for a study or tea-room desk — one hand empty, one hand holding, in exact balance.