Lama; South Vietnam, 18th-19th centuries.

Lama; South Vietnam, XVIII- XIX centuries.
Red lacquered and gilded wood.
Attached certificate issued by the specialist Le My Hao.
Work exhibited at Highlights Maastricht 2007.
Slight wear and tear.
Measurements: 55 x 43,5 x 36 cm.
Red lacquered wood sculpture representing a seated lama. He also adopts the posture of the lotus flower and performs a mudra that symbolizes that he takes the earth as a witness. It is called Bhumisparsa mudra, or gesture of touching the earth. It alludes to the moment in which Buddha solved the problem of ending suffering when he was under the tree in Bodhi-Gaya. In addition, we can identify numerous lakshana, iconographic symbols that identify Buddha, such as the half-closed eyes, the elongated lobes of the ears allude to the large earrings worn by members of the upper classes in India contemporary to Sakyamuni, and represent the concepts of greatness, nobility and wisdom.The protagonist wears a monastic robe with long folds that fall in a naturalistic way. The facial and body features are very human and, at the same time, individualized, and the attention to detail is extremely high. The ribs are extremely emphasized. He is seated cross-legged, in a meditation posture, his tremendous thinness could be due to a period of fasting, following the vital steps of Buddha.
The piece is made from a single block of wood with the technique of lacquering and gilding, very common in the Vietnamese artistic tradition. First, a fairly thick layer of black lacquer was applied, which could then be followed by a thinner layer of red or brown lacquer, over which the gilding was applied. The habit lacquered in brown