Burmese Mandalay Style Buddha Statue
The Mandalay period in Myanmar, spanned from 1853 to 1948, and was a significant era that witnessed a flourishing of Buddhist art and culture. It was during this time that the distinctive style of the Mandalay Buddha statue emerged, a style that continues to captivate and inspire with its serene beauty and intricate craftsmanship.
The Mandalay Buddha statues are renowned for their youthful, sweet-faced depictions of the Buddha, characterized by a robe elaborately folded, edged, and often decorated with inset mosaics or mirror glass. This style has become synonymous with the Burmese representation of the Buddha, embodying a sense of peace and compassion that resonates deeply with devotees and art enthusiasts alike.
Mandalay situated on the Irrawaddy River is the second-largest city in Myanmar. It was the capital of the last independent Burmese kingdom founded by King Mindon who moved the royal capital from Amarapura in 1857 to Mandalay. During this time, it was referred to as the Kingdom of “Yadanarbon”. He built a library dedicated to the Buddhist scriptures and from this time Mandalay was referred to as the centre for Buddhist learning and considered to be the heart of Burma. It has also been referred to as the “City of Gems”. He envisioned it as the center of the Buddhist universe in Myanmar. He was instrumental in fostering a city that not only held political significance but also serving as a spiritual haven for Buddhist learning and practice.
Mandalay remained the capital of Burma for 26 years until the British conquered the city and exiled the last King of Burma (King Thibaw) and his queen to India, taking over the Mandalay Palace and turning it into a British Army garrison.
The Mandalay Buddha statues, with their broad bands across the forehead and tight curls covering a wide rounded, prominent ushnisa referred to as the cranial bump, are a testament to the artistic and religious fervor of the period. The robe is often elaborately layered with three-dimensional folds decorated with glass mosaics and delicate scroll work around the edges using thayo lacquer. The Mandalay style Buddha statue is often seen with a straight nose, flared nostrils and a cleft in the centre of the top lip. The Mandalay-style Buddha can be seen in a standing, sitting or reclining posture.
The Mahamuni Buddha Temple, located southwest of Mandalay, is home to one of the most venerated Buddha images in Myanmar. The Mahamuni Image, believed to be of great antiquity, was brought to Mandalay in 1784 by King Bodawpaya and has since been a major pilgrimage site. The image, originally cast of metal, now bears a thick layer of gold leaf and is unrecognizable from its original appearance, a result of the devotion of countless pilgrims over the years.
The legend surrounding the Mahamuni Image is as fascinating as the statue itself. It is said that the Buddha visited the Dhanyawadi city of Arakan and, upon the request of King Sanda Thuriya, left behind an image cast in his likeness. This image, imbued with the Buddha’s spiritual essence, has become a living symbol of his teachings and presence.
The artistic details of the Mandalay Buddha statues are not merely aesthetic choices but carry profound symbolic meaning. The Bhumisparsa mudra, a gesture that signifies the Buddha’s enlightenment and his connection to the earth, is a common feature in these statues. The materials used—wood, alabaster, and bronze are crafted with exceptional skill, resulting in statues that are not only visually stunning but also imbued with spiritual significance.
The influence and legacy of the Mandalay Buddha statues extend beyond their historical period. They represent a pinnacle of Burmese artistic expression, capturing the essence of the Buddha’s serenity and the deep reverence for Buddhism that permeates Myanmar’s culture. These statues are not just stone and metal; they are the embodiments of a people’s faith and their heritage.
MANDALAY ROYAL KING BUDDHA STYLE (Jambhupati)
The Mandalay Jambhupati Buddha statue is referred to as the royal king Buddha or Royal crowned Buddha and is quite different in style to the traditional Mandalay Buddha statue, this style is often seen with a crown resembling a pagoda with several tiers made from metal with a small usnisha and a tiered crown. Large side flanges attached to the crown flank the shoulders, this style is also sometimes seen with metal regalia, the body decorated in a fish scale pattern coloured with thayo lacquer and glass mosaics.
The Mandalay-style reclining Buddha statue is also referred to as the “Yadanarbon sleeping Buddha in Burma.”
Images showing the dying, sleeping or resting Buddha in the reclining posture refer to the time when the Buddha became ill after eating contaminated food, resulting in food poisoning and depict his final moments when he entered into Nirvana. The reclining image of the Buddha is also referred to as the Buddha in Mahaparinirvna. He is sometimes shown with his head resting on a pillow or with his elbow bent and his head resting on his palm.
The position of the feet seen on the reclining Buddha image indicates whether he is sleeping or dying, the two feet misaligned are that of the sleeping or resting Buddha, whereas if the feet are aligned it is that of the Buddha entering into nirvana (parinirvana or mahaparinirvana), the stage in which can only be attained by enlightened souls.
The reclining Buddha was first depicted in Gandhara sculptures between 50BC and 75AD and is a popular iconographic representation of the Buddha’s last moments and is seen in Thai, Indian, Burmese, Lao and Chinese sculptures.
