Prices for the best Buddha sculptures have at least doubled over the past five years, soaring beyond the $10 million mark. Recent auction showstoppers have included a rare Imperial Ming-dynasty gilt-bronze figure of Shakyamuni Buddha that sold at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in October 2006 for $15 million, an auction record for Buddhist sculpture. At Sotheby’s New York in March 2004, a monumental second- to third-century standing Gandharan Buddha brought $736,000, an auction record for Gandharan art, while a large, circa 12th-century Tibetan Buddha sold at Christie’s in March 2007 for $712,000.

But a Buddha statue does not have to break the bank. Many fine examples—often simpler, smaller sculptures—still can be purchased for $10,000 to $100,000. Even so, it does not seem appropriate to put a price tag on the Enlightened One. Beholding one of these transporting works of art, we seem to catch a fleeting glimpse of nirvana, sensing that we are not isolated, fixed entities, but rather a process in time, connected to others and all life in a state of blissful unity. And we can almost hear the Buddha urging his disciples: “Work at your liberation with diligence. Be a lamp unto yourself.”

Art&Antiques New York Correspondent Dana Micucci is the author of several books on art, antiques and collecting.

IS IT A FAKE?

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As with all antiquities, Buddha sculptures made over the centuries throughout Asia are not immune to the deceptive talents of forgers. But how does a collector distinguish between a fake and the real thing? “There are a lot of fake Buddha sculptures on the market in all media,” says New York dealer William Lipton. “You have to look at many examples and learn to identify their specific features, postures and expressions. Fakes are usually crudely sculpted or cast and not particularly beautiful. And there are other red flags. For example, if a gilt-bronze Buddha looks too shiny, then it’s likely not very old. On the other hand, if a Buddha looks too dull and ancient, then it could be a newly made Buddha that has been buried for a period of time to create the effect of age.”

Because these sculptures were made according to strict canonical rules, fakes can show mistakes in iconography and dating. “You may see improperly sized eyes and ears or find that an identifying characteristic such as the orna is missing,” says Fabio Rossi of Rossi & Rossi, London. “Or a Buddha that is sculpted in a 12th-century style may have a lotus base in a 17th-century style.”

“The most surefire way to avoid taking home a fake is to ask a reputable dealer for scientific tests, such as radiography for bronze or a microscopic scan for stone, which can help to verify a sculpture’s correct age,” says New York dealer Spencer Throckmorton. “The forgers may be clever, but ultimately they cannot give these sculptures life. Fakes never transmit the sacred sensibility of early Buddha sculptures.”

Books and Exhibitions

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Buddhism: A Way of Life and Thought  by Nancy Wilson Ross (Vintage Books, 1981).

Buddhist Art and Architecture by Robert E. Fisher (Thames & Hudson, 1993).

Buddhist Art: Images and Ideas by Denise Patry Leidy (Shambhala, upcoming, Aug. 2008).

Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet by Marylin M. Rhie and Robert A.F. Thurman, (Harry N. Abrams, 1991).

“Buddha in Paradise,” May 9–Aug. 18, Rubin Museum of Art, New York. 212.620.5000 rmanyc.org