This standing figure of a bronze Buddha was found at a site in the Bujang Valley in Kedah in the early 1940s. The serenely smiling Buddha stands in a posture known as ‘tribhanga’, with his hips swayed to the left and with his right hand in ‘varada mudra’ (boon-bestowing) gesture. His left hand holds the gathered ends of his robe, which is worn over the left shoulder. The style of this piece is characteristic of Indian art from the Gupta period, particularly of the Sarnath style. This figure is thought to be one of the earliest Buddhist images to have been produced by local craftsmen and it reflects early Indian influence on culture in Southeast Asia.
