As one of the two largest gilt-bronze statues of Buddha in meditation made before the modern period -- the other being the gilt-bronze statue designated as National Treasure No. 78 and stored in the National Museum of Korea in Seoul -- this pensive Maitreya is 93.5 centimeters tall and was presumed to have been found in Gyeongju during the 1920s. Wearing a crown of three peaks, it is also called the Tri-peak Pensive Buddha. The Buddha has a plump, round face wearing a benign smile and a naked slender upper body with two loose rings around the neck. He is seated with his right leg crossing the left leg -- which is pendent -- on a tiny lotus mat, his right hand placed over the right ankle and the fingers of his right hand gently touching his right cheek. The skirt covering the lower body is as light as a veil that it reveals the shape and curves of the body; the fabric covering the lotus pedestal on which the deity is seated is draped down heavily, creating many folds. His outfit is complete with a fabric sash around the waist and is draped down with a jade disk chained in the middle. There is a peg behind the head, showing that the deity once had a mandorla (Buddhist halo of light). With the simple, balanced body, realistic rendering of the veil skirt and fabric pedestal cover, and elaborately carved facial features, the statue is widely regarded as a clear example of advanced metal molding techniques. The dim, blissful smile on the face also contributes to its reputation as a great masterpiece representing the artistic achievement of Korean Buddhist sculpture. Art historians believe that the statue was made later than the Gilt-bronze Pensive Maitreya Bodhisattva of National Treasure No. 78, probably during the late Three Kingdoms Period (57BC-668).