A SILVER OFFERING BOWL WITH SCENES FROM THE SAMA JATAKALOWER BURMA (MYANMAR), CIRCA 1918 The underside has an inscription translated, "Mr. Ba Khine's silver bowl". 5 3/8 in. (13.8 cm) high; 11 5/8 in. (29.5 cm) diameter; 42 1/2 troy oz (1,320 grams) approximate weight Aided by architectural backdrops, arboreal dividers, and a dynamicpositional flow, the bowl exemplifies how Burmese silver offering bowls served didactic purposes for lay Buddhists, while also functioning as vessels for generating karmic merit with donations. The inclusion of an audience to some scenes is amon pictorial device in Buddhist art, which happens to be faithful to the literary format of the jatakas as a set of recollections told by Buddha to his followers. One of the final stories in the Buddhist Jataka Tales, the Sama Jataka is a favorite for its emphasis on loving kindness ( maitri ). Filial piety is also a key theme in this jataka, making it a popular subject in Burmese dwellings, where the didactic impact of decorative items can reiterate traditional familial values. The silversmith has created an intricate panoramic narrative of the jataka's key plot moments. 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.87, no.S39, fig.3.77.