Burmese Gilded & Lacquered Religious Manuscript Chest & Stand (Sadaik)

This opulent manuscript chest or sadaik sits on an elaborate stand with four highly sculptural legs, each modelled as a manok-thi-ha (half man, half lion figure). This is the first time we have seen a sadaik with manok-thi-ha legs.

The chest and stand are of teak wood that is decorated with gilded (gold leaf) molded relief work, a technique known as thayo, and inlaid with small foil-backed pieces of glass (a process known as hman-zi swei-cha). The foil is silver, red and green.

The hinged cover and front and back of the chest are decorated with scenes from the life of the Buddha prior to his attainment of Enlightenment. Included is the Great Departure of Prince Siddharta, shown as the Prince atop a rearing horse. Other scenes show Prince Siddharta either radiating rays or with a radiating solar motif above him so signify his special status.

The interior of the box and underside of the stand are decorated with red lacquer.

The stand is decorated in gilded thayo work scrollwork and mirrored glass inlay.

Such chests were used in monasteries to store precious religious manuscripts away from the harm of mice and water. This example was designed to hold a single kammavaca text. Sadaiks were commissioned to be donated to monasteries or were used in the households of important officials and the wealthy.

The presence of the stand in the example here is important – often the stands are lost. The overall condition is remarkable. There are minor losses as might be expected, but the thayo work is largely intact as is most of the glass inlay. This is an exceptional piece.