6 Feet Large Tibetan Buddhist Deity Vajrasattva From Nepal

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The first line of the 100 syllable Mantra of Vajrasattva- “Om Vajrasattva Samayam Anupalaya” (Om Vajjrasattva Preserve the bond) underlines the affinity felt by a follower of Vajrayana Buddhism with the Bodhisattva. Repeated consistently, the Mantra forms a bond, a spiritual contract between the devotee and Vajrasattva according to which, the Prince of Vajra (thunderbolt) extends his celestial protection to the follower in the face of earthly and otherworldly hurdles. This six-foot imposing Nepalese Vajrasattva statue is an expression of the devotee’s faith in the gloriousness of the Bodhisattva. Placed on a multi-tiered elaborately designed platform, seated on a double-rowed lotus platform (Vishwapadmasana), this gilded copper Vajrasattva is an enchanting piece of art from Nepal, a fitting representative of the unbelievably detailed work of the artists of Kathmandu valley.

Bodhisattva Vajrasattva is in the lotus posture (padmasana), with an exquisite five-pronged Nepalese crown adorning his head, its tassels forming tasteful curls on the side of his peaceful face. Round earrings in the drooping earlobes, three sets of ornate necklaces on the torso, armbands, bracelets, and long anklets embrace the divine limbs of Vajrasattva endowing this gilded copper statue with a spellbinding attractiveness. A fine scarf with floral patterns is draped on the wide shoulders of Vajrasattva and is molded on his sides in gorgeous curves. A matching luxuriant brocaded dhoti (lower body garment) with its soft folds near the Bodhisattva’s knees and ankles speaks for the mastery of the maker of this copper Vajrasattva icon, who has imbibed the solid material with an incredible malleability. In Vajrasattva’s right hand is the Vajra (thunderbolt), a ritual object in Vajrayana and a weapon, which is believed to cut through the darkness of ignorance, and in his left hand is a bell, both the attributes held with immense gracefulness by the Bodhisattva. In the Vajrayana tradition, Vajra (Dorje) and bell (drilbu) signify the amalgamation of method and wisdom respectively. This combination is a tangible form of Enlightenment that requires an adept balance between knowledge and the ability to employ it.

A profusely decorated and dramatic aureole surrounds this gilded copper Vajrasattva, containing images of elephants on lotuses, snow lion, Buddhist deity, Makara (mythical elephant-lion composite animal), youthful Naagakanya (serpent women), and a flying Garuda (bird mount of Vishnu) with a snake in his beak. The religious figures are interspersed with leaves that appear to be growing from the panel of the outstanding aura. Adding a touch of colors tastefully to the Vajrasattva icon is a royal platform painted with rich red, blue and green shades and embellished with motifs designed using gold, turquoise, and coral. Two snow leopards standing in the middle section of the platform with their limbs raised, look as if they are carrying the throne of Vajrasattva on their shoulders. As the copper underneath absorbs the purity of gold captivatingly in this statue, the powers of Bodhisattva Vajrasattva sheathes the mortal form with the glistening purity of Enlightenment.

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.