{"product_id":"antique-burmese-mandalay-buddha-gilt-teak-thayo-glass-mosaic","title":"Antique Burmese Mandalay Buddha – Gilt Teak, Thayo \u0026 Glass Mosaic, ca. 1880–1920","description":"\u003cp\u003eA monumental Burmese \u003cstrong\u003eMandalay Buddha\u003c\/strong\u003e carved from teak and built up with thit-si lacquer, thayo relief, gold leaf and extensive mirror and glass mosaic. At 82 cm wide and 33.8 kg, it is an architectural presence as much as a devotional sculpture.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eObject details\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSubject:\u003c\/strong\u003e Shakyamuni Buddha in Bhumisparsha mudra\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Mandalay tradition, Myanmar (Burma)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDate:\u003c\/strong\u003e ca. 1880–1920\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e teak, thit-si lacquer, thayo relief, gold leaf, mirror and coloured glass inlay\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 82 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWidth:\u003c\/strong\u003e 72 cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 33.8 kg\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMandalay workshop character\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe image belongs to the richly decorative late Mandalay tradition, in which carving, lacquer work, relief ornament and reflective inlay are treated as a single visual system. The Buddha sits in \u003cstrong\u003eBhumisparsha mudra\u003c\/strong\u003e, the earth-touching gesture associated with the moment of enlightenment.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRather than relying on painted decoration alone, the surface is physically constructed in layers. Raised thayo patterns define borders, garments and architectural elements; gold leaf unifies the relief; individually placed mirror and glass fragments then catch changing light across the figure.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eThayo and glass mosaic\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThayo is one of the distinctive decorative techniques of Burmese lacquer craftsmanship. A relief medium is formed and applied over the prepared surface before gilding and inlay. Here it provides the framework for a dense mosaic of reflective elements. The result would have been particularly effective in a temple or shrine interior illuminated by moving natural light, candles or oil lamps.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSurface history\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eClose examination shows old craquelure in the lacquer, rubbing to the gilding, local losses and variation between individual glass and mirror elements. Those changes are not treated as defects to be concealed; they are part of the visual record of an object that has survived for more than a century.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe teak construction remains legible beneath the elaborate surface, and the tension between carved structure and applied decoration is one of the reasons Mandalay sculpture is so immediately recognisable.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eDating and attribution\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe current dating of \u003cstrong\u003eca. 1880–1920\u003c\/strong\u003e places the work around the late Konbaung and early colonial period, when Mandalay remained a major centre for religious carving and lacquer decoration. The attribution is based on carving style, facial type, decorative vocabulary, materials and technique rather than on an unverified workshop name.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCondition\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge-related wear, craquelure, small losses to gilding and inlay, and unevenness in the decorative surface are present. The sculpture retains a strong overall visual unity and extensive historic decoration. Its large scale requires specialist packing and transport.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCollector note\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is a particularly strong example for a collection focused on Burmese Buddhist art because the principal Mandalay techniques remain visible together: carved teak, lacquer, thayo relief, gilding and glass mosaic. The object is both highly decorative and technically informative.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWorldwide insured shipping is available; freight for a work of this scale is quoted individually.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Buddha-Statues.com","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":63361436582218,"sku":"718","price":8790.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1073\/1693\/7034\/files\/antique-burmese-mandalay-buddha-gilt-teak-glass-mosaic-front.jpg?v=1787859601","url":"https:\/\/buddha-statues.com\/products\/antique-burmese-mandalay-buddha-gilt-teak-thayo-glass-mosaic","provider":"buddha-statues.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}