A gilt-bronze figure of Buddha, Korea, Unified Silla Period, circa 8th century

Collection of Gunou Shoshi, Kansai.

The Unified Silla period was the pinnacle of production of Buddhist sculpture, with numerous images created for private worship after Buddhism became the official religion in the sixth century.

The present sculpture is finely cast standing tall, the face in serene contemplation, the stylized robes of Udayana type, depicted as rolling waves cascading down the body. See a closely related standing sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no. 12.37.136), lacking its base, illustrated in Judith G. Smith and Elizabeth Hammer, The Arts of Korea: A Resource for Educators, New York, 2001, pl. 5. It shares the same mudra, symbolizing the dispelling of fear and the granting of wishes as well as the similar treatment of the contemplative expression and cascading folds on the drapery. 

Another closely related bronze figure of Buddha from the United Silla Period was sold at Christie's New York, 14th September 2017, lot 835, from the collection of Goto Shinshudo, and another was sold in these rooms, 20th September 2022, lot 140.