A SILVER OFFERING BOWL WITH SCENES FROM THE JATAKA TALESBY MG. SHWE YON BROS LOWER BURMA (MYANMAR), CIRCA 1905 The underside is engraved with the silversmith's insignia of a seated deer and mark: "Mg. Shwe Yon Bros Gold & Silversmith Rangoon". 3 1/8 in. (8 cm) high; 5 1/8 in. (13 cm) diameter; 20 troy oz (620 grams) approximate weight Elite Silversmith Mg. Shwe Yon Bros The preeminent silversmith Maung Shwe Yon had three sons—Maung Shwe Bin, Maung Thu Hlaing, and Maung Yin Maung—who were all very talented. Together with their father, they formed Maung Shwe Yon & Sons based in Rangoon (Yangon), and around the time of his death in c.1889 they changed thepany name to Mg. Shwe Yon Bros. By the time the present bowl was made in 1899, thepany was a top-tier vendor, employing other exceptional goldsmiths and silversmiths. This exquisite bowl exemplifies the superior quality of the Mg. Shwe Yon Bros enterprise. The Jataka Tales in Burmese Silver Consisting of hundreds of stories about the previous lives of Siddhartha Gautama, the Jataka tales are one of the most popular forms of Buddhist literature, especially among Theravada laity. Their entertaining plots typically involve Gautama Buddha recounting a story from one of his past lives as a human or an animal, demonstrating a particular virtue he gradually perfected on his spiritual progression towards Buddhahood. In deeply Buddhist Burma (Myanmar), where for centuries Theravada Buddhism has been the only form of Buddhism informing local cultures, the jatakas permeate tradition and remain essential elements of contemporary society. Their edifying moral lessons are central to Burmese thinking, and have inspired artistic projects in various mediums for centuries. The jatakas are the mostmon subject depicted by the Burmese silversmiths during the Burmese Silver Age (c.1850-1930), giving rise to intricate vignettes containing poignant didactic instruction for everyday life. Published: David Owens, Burmese Silver Art: Masterpieces Illuminating Buddhist, Hindu and Mythological Stories of Purpose and Wisdom , 2020, p.66, no.S139, fig.3.43.