Vintage Brass Buddha with Aureole, Nepal (30611LEM) $790

Description

This finely cast metalwork brass Shakyamuni Buddha reflects the conservative tradition of Nepalese sculpture which experienced few changes in proportion or decorative details over the past several hundred years. Originating stylistically from Gupta and later Pala Indian art, Nepalese artists created their unique style from the 6th-7th centuries that evolved to a distinctive physiognomy including long pendulous ears, wider faces and relaxed features, often embellished with exaggerated postures, decorative flourishes and unique ornaments. He stands in the vitarka-mudra (teaching) palms out with right hand up and left at the waist, teaching the dharma. His elaborate cloth covered pedestal rises above two inward facing protective mythical animals as Buddhist lions before a full removable aureole with foliate designs shaped as a two part mandorla with a circle framing the head and an elongated oval surrounding the body. Like many Nepalese Buddha Statues he wears thin, close fitting monks-robes covering one shoulder in the wet style revealing his idealized body under the drapery. Originating in Greek sculpture, Theravada Buddha metal and stone images, the wet style keeps a figure modestly clothed while making visible the body’s shape and details  Many of the 32 lakshanas, Buddha’s auspicious traits, are displayed: elongated upright body, face, arms, fingers, and hands; well-formed nose; fine hair with soft snail-crowned curls; soft skin, well-rounded shoulders; and an urna (third eye) in the middle of his forehead and protuberance on the top of the head (ushnisha). Nepalese Buddhist statues had a tremendous influence on Chinese and Tibetan art since both countries imported art and artists from Nepal to adorn their temples and monasteries. 

Sources

Kathryn Selig Brown, “Nepalese Sculpture.” Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History: Essays, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,