An antique Mon style Thai meditation Buddha, seated on a simple two-tiered throne, with the flaring head of a giant Naga, the serpent King Muchalinda, rising behind protectively behind. His hands are in the Dhyana mudra, the gesture of Medtiation. The Buddha's face is serene, with a naturalistic and warm expression; his ushnisha is topped by tightly wound hair curls. The serpent is very well rendered and symmetrical. Wonderful detail on each face. The throne is formed by the coils of the serpent. The story told here being that Muchalinda protected the Buddha from heavy rain. The statue is carved in the round, rather than as a relief on a stela. From this, we can infer that Thai sculptors would have desired their artwork to be viewed from all sides and thus placed in the center of temples rather than against a wall. While this artwork was religious - priests supervised its execution - its realism is unmistakable. The Buddhas hands are in Dhyana Mudra, the hand gesture that promotes the energy of meditation, deep contemplation and unity with higher energy. Provenance: Ex- private US Collection. Provenance: Private US Collection Medium: Stone Dimensions: 45cm / 18” General Condition: Good condition. Consistent with age. SCST341 For more beautiful Asian Art please also visit our website - HDAsianArt.com