Not currently on display at the V&A

Figure

18th/19th century
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Burma (made)

This sculpture depicts Lokanatha sitting in the posture of royal ease (rājalilāsana), his left hand on his thigh and his right hand holding a palm-leaf fan. He wears a crown comprising elaborate ribbons or foliage at each side, a fringed and scallop-edged collar, jewellery and long pendent earrings in the form of a flowers; a panel with a decorated border hangs down from the waist.


Object details

Categories
Sculpture
Buddhism
Object type
Figure
Materials and techniques
Stone similar to marble
Stone
Brief description
Lokanatha, marble sculpture, Burma, 18th-19th century
Physical description
This sculpture depicts Lokanatha sitting in the posture of royal ease (rājalilāsana), his left hand on his thigh and his right hand holding a palm-leaf fan. He wears a crown comprising elaborate ribbons or foliage at each side, a fringed and scallop-edged collar, jewellery and long pendent earrings in the form of a flowers; a panel with a decorated border hangs down from the waist.
Dimensions
  • Height: 6l.5cm
  • Width: 42cm
  • Diameter: 27cm
Object history
It is possible that this sculpture once formed a pair flanking the entrance of a temple (see G. Luce, "Old Burma-Early Pagan," Vol. III, pl. 370.
Bibliographic references
  • An iconographic discussion of this Lokanatha sculpture appears in Nandana Chutiwongs, The Iconography of Avalokiteśvara in Mainland South East Asia (New Delhi: Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, 2002), pp. 101-102 and pl. 58. Similar sculptures are illustrated in: Gordon H. Luce, Old Burma, Early Pagan(New York: J. J. Augustin, 1970), Vol. III, pls. 84A and 370. In this case, similar figures appear to flanking the entrance to the Shwegugyi Temple at Pagan. V. C. Scott O'Connor, Mandalay and Other Cities of the Past in Burma (Bangkok: White Lotus, 1986), p. 256. In this case, a similar figure appears at the inner door of the Ananda Temple at Pagan.
  • Burmese art / John Lowry. London: H. M. Stationery Office, 1974 Number: 0112901794 : pl. 10
Collection
South & South East Asia Collection
Accession number
IS.16-1970

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Record createdJune 25, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O472008/figure-unknown/
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