Vintage Brass Buddha with Aureole, Nepal (30611LEM)

Description

This finely cast metalwork brass Shakyamuni-Buddha statue is a reflection of 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 in early bronzes 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. He stands on an elaborate cloth covered pedestal that rises above two inward facing protective mythical animals as Buddhist lions with a full removable aureole behind him. The elaborate aureole adorned with foliate designs is shaped as a two part mandorla composed of 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. 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 shell 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. This is part of the VA Spiritual-and-Inspirational Collection of Buddhist-Art.

Sources

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