A LARGE SANDSTONE FIGURE OF BUDDHA MUCHALINDA, ANGKOR PERIOD Khmer Empire, 12th-13th century. Seated on the scaled coils of Muchalinda, his hands in dhyanamudra, richly adorned with jewelry. The face with downcast eyes in a benevolent expression, flanked by long earlobes with pendant earrings. The hair pulled into a conical chignon and secured with a wide tiara, backed by the seven-headed naga hood, their bodies decorated with sun wheels. The jewelry, scales, and head of the snake with delicate and remarkably well-preserved incision work.

Provenance: From the private collection of Jean Dumoulin, Belgium, by repute acquired in April 1987 in the Bangkok trade.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, showing extensive wear, minor losses, the left knee partially broken off, some nicks and shallow surface scratches, signs of weathering and erosion, cracks, remnants of old pigment. Overall with a consistent natural patina and presenting exceptionally well.

Weight: 44 kg
Dimensions: Height 81.7 cm

Muchalinda is the name of a naga sheltering the Buddha from the elements after his enlightenment. When a storm raged and torrential rain fell for a whole week, the king of the nagas, Muchalinda, rose from the earth, coiling its body to form a seat and swelled its great hood to shelter Buddha. When the great storm had cleared, the serpent king assumed his human form, bowed before the Buddha, and returned to his palace. Seven-headed nagas are often depicted as guardian statues, carved as balustrades on causeways leading to main Cambodian temples, such as those found in Angkor Wat.

Literature comparison:
Compare with a similar piece in the collection of RMN Grand Palais in Paris, inventory number Ka985.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Galerie Zacke Vienna, 11 March 2022, lot 568
Price: EUR 63,200
Description: A monumental sandstone figure of Buddha Muchalinda, Angkor period
Expert remark: Compare the closely related subject. Note the large size (121 cm).