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Two Feet High Shakyamuni Buddha From Nepal

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$4830

A representation of Buddha Shakyamuni’s Sambhogakaya (body of enjoyment), this Nepalese Buddha gilded copper statue depicts him as the “Chakravartin”- world ruler. The “Sambhogakaya” belongs to the idea of “Trikaya” (three transcendental forms) of the Enlightened One in the Buddhist tradition. Endowed with the most wonderful royal ornaments and sitting meditatively, this gilded icon of the Buddha embodies the zenith of the greatness of the Enlightened One as well as the Nepalese tradition of sculptures.

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Item Code:	CAA191
Specifications:	Copper With Gold
Height:	23 inch
Width:	14 inch
Depth:	10 inch
Weight:	11.30 kg

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The first element in the Nepalese Buddha statue that catches the eye is the imposing gold crown, studded with enchanting red and turquoise stones and decorated with Chhepu, the Nepalese form of the Hindu Kiritimukha (face of glory). In the lower section of the regal crown, a symmetrical row of stones runs parallel to a single line of the Buddha’s coiled hair, framing his alluring visage. The torso of this Nepalese copper Buddha statue is embellished with a superb armor of gold, in the center of which is engraved a conch shell, one of the Eight Buddhist auspicious signs or “Ashtamangala”. Buddha’s divine limbs are delineated in this skillfully, with an animation felt in his polished hands and feet. His right hand dangles elegantly in the “Bhumi-sparsha” mudra, a gesture associated with the Buddha’s victory over the demon of basal desires, Mara, while in his left hand on his lap, he carries an alms bowl.

Under his armor, the Buddha wears a golden robe decorated with a criss-cross pattern and gemstone studded floral motif. Donning the twin attire of a king and a monk, this crowned Buddha icon proclaims the Enlightened One’s mastery over the human and metaphysical arenas. On the reverse of this Nepalese Buddha icon, one can appreciate Shakyamuni’s coiled hair, the delicate chain of his gold armor, and a majestic dragon symbolizing his enlightened state. The crowned Chakaravrtin rests on a jeweled lotus throne embellished with tiny stones.

With the stylized urna (symbolic third-eye), thin eyebrows, inward-looking yet steady eyes, shapely nose, and lips that carry the softness of a fresh lotus blossom, this crowned Buddha icon is an artistic gem. Resplendent with features that hold all the beauty of the world and impeccable gilding work done by skilled Nepalese craftsmen, this crowned Buddha is an example of the aesthetic achievements of Nepalese-Tibetan Buddhist art, which through a painstaking process produces gilded icons that glow with the aura of Bodhi.

How are Nepalese copper statues made?

Nepalese statues and sculptures are best known for their unique small religious figures and ritual paraphernalia for over two thousand years. These are mainly cast in copper alloy. Nepal draws influences from the artistic styles of Buddhism and Hinduism, and therefore the sculptors of the country specialize in making the icons of both these religions. Over the years, Nepalese sculptures evolved into their own distinctive iconography. Some characteristic features of these sculptures that differ from other pieces are exaggerated physical postures, youthful and sensual features, languid eyes, wider faces having serene expressions, and ornate flourishes. The Buddhist deity icons of Nepal have tremendous demand in countries such as China and Tibet for ritual purposes in their temples and monasteries.

Nepalese statues and sculptures have a high copper content and therefore develop a slightly reddish patina on the surface as they age. However, the most unique feature of Nepalese copper statues is their decorative detailing. The pieces are heavily gilded and sometimes inlaid with semi-precious stones. This embellishment protects them from getting tarnished. The traditional lost-wax method for casting Nepalese copper statues remains the most practiced technique in Nepal for many centuries. This process involves many steps and requires skilled artists.

The first step in lost-wax sculpting is to make a wax replica of the desired Buddhist deity to be cast in copper. This replica is created by hand and therefore needs excellent artistic skills otherwise fine features will be lacking.

Once the wax replica is made, it is then coated with a special mixture of clay with a brush. This layer of clay is hardened when left to dry. A small hole is made on the base of the wax mould so that the wax flows away when it is heated.

At this stage, a hollow mould in the shape of the deity is obtained.

This is the time to pour liquid copper into the hollow mould which is then allowed to cool and harden inside a container of cold water. When the liquid metal has hardened, the mould is removed and the statue within is revealed.

The artist works on the details of the statue using various tools. It is then polished to get a shiny and lustrous surface.

Now comes the most important part of Nepalese art which is gold gilding. This is done by the traditional fire gilding method. A mixture of mercury and 18K gold is applied on the surface of the statue and heat is applied using a flame torch. The result is that mercury evaporates along with impurities, leaving a pure 24K gold finish.

The lost-wax method of sculpting is the most preferred technique

for artists to cast a metallic statue having intricate details. Since Nepalese copper sculptures require extraneous effort for giving a majestic look by adding special embellishments, it takes several weeks to complete one masterpiece. A 24K gold gilded copper sculpture retains its brilliant luster for many years and appears as like before. Nepalese sculptures continue to remain one of the finest specimens of the art of the East that have a strong aesthetic appeal that other sculptures cannot match.