Founded by king Mang Rai, the Lan Na kingdom (modern-day Northern Thailand) reigned from the 13th to the 18th century. The capital of the kingdom, Chiang Mai, remains an important pilgrimage site for practitioners of Buddhism. In the Lan Na School of Buddhist Sculpture, also known as the Chieng Sen School, two different techniques emerged: the early Chieng Sen and the late Chieng Sen. The early Chieng Sen style draws influence from Pala art, while the late Chieng Sen was shaped by Sukhothai tradition. This 15th century bronze figure of Buddha is more closely aligned with later art from the Lan Na period.
A common motif found amongst Lan Na imagery is the Buddha subduing the demon Māra in order to attain enlightenment and calls upon Mother Earth to witness. The Buddha sits in vīrāsana, with his right leg folded on top of his left leg, on top of the lotus throne. His right hand points to the ground performing the bhumisparsha mudra, the touching the earth gesture. The left hand is in the dhyana mudra, resting in the Buddha’s lap with the palm facing upward. He possesses elongated fingers and earlobes, pointed ears, downcast eyes, gentle arched eyebrows, and a subtle smile, which conveys a peaceful and meditative state. The Lan Na Buddha appears to have a pointed nose, evoking similar imagery to the distinguishing characteristic of the aquiline noses of Sukhothai Buddhas.
In this portrayal of the Buddha, he is adorned in regal attire, including his crown, necklace, bracelets, and ear pendants. The reemergence of the crowned Buddha is attributed to the Lan Na style, a portrayal that is not as often seen amongst Sukhothai or Ayutthaya-style Buddhas. The crowned Buddha, or Jambūpatī Buddha, has its origins from the legend of the Buddha adopting ornamental royal clothing in order to humble and convert the haughty and arrogant king Jambūpatī. Compare this statue with the 15th-16th century Adorned Buddha Subduing Mara illustrated by Jean Boisselier in The Heritage of Thai Sculpture, New York, 1975, p. 158, fig. 117. A similar crowned Buddha figure can be found in H. Woodward, Jr.’s The Sacred Sculpture of Thailand, London, 1997, p. 212, fig. 206, cat. no. 77.