Crowned Buddha with Hands in Gesture of Teaching <em>(Vitarkamudra)</em>
Khmer
Angkor period, 12th century or later
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
15.7 × 5.8 × 2.3 cm (6 1/8 × 2 1/4 × 7/8 in.)
Classification
bronze
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
49625
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This standing crowned and bejeweled Buddha, depicted with the distinctive double teaching hand gesture (vitarkamudra), exemplifies a key feature of Khmer Buddhist iconography from the 12th century onward. This imagery likely draws inspiration from earlier Mon‒Dvaravati standing Buddha depictions, though uncrowned, which also emphasize the double teaching symmetrical pose. Possibly originating in the region of Phimai, northeast Thailand—an important Mahayana and tantric Buddhist center—this icono...