, Tibet, 19th century, A representation of the historical Buddha on the threshold of enlightenment. Seated in the vajrāsana posture with the right hand reaching down towards ground in bhūmispar?a mudrā recalling the moment when he attained liberation under the Bodhi tree in Bodhgaya and where he is calling upon the earth to bear witness his victory over Māra, the god of desire. The elongated upper body and size of the Buddha suggests a classical Tibetan image but the iconographic features such as the sharp aquiline nose, the foliate style ornamentation and lack of a shawl covering both shoulders also reveal the influence of the sculptural style of the Newars from Nepal. Adorned in a beautifully decorated dhotī, a serene face with a gentle smile beneath a crown inlaid with turquoise, sitting on a double lotus base. H 42 cm,
