The Patron Deity of Mind Body Healing (An Inspiring Image of Harmony)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

$750

Quantity

Notify me when this item is available

Item Code:	ZO50
Specifications:	Copper Sculpture with Silver Inlay
Height:	5.3 inch
Width:	3.5 inch
Depth:	2.5 inch
Weight:	10 kg

Handmade

Free delivery

Fully insured

Shipped to 153 countries

More than 1M+ customers worldwide

General Tan: We are here to heal you, to liberate you.

Dalai Lama: Only the Lord Buddha, the chief healer (man-la) can heal us, and only we ourselves can liberate us.

The above dialogues between the Chinese general and the Dalai Lama from the film Kundun summarizes the essence of the Medicine Buddha, revered all over Tibet as the healer of both mind and body.

Here he is seated on a double lotus pedestal wearing a magnificent ornate robe which covers both his shoulders leaving only the right nipple bare. Dispersed across his robe are the eight auspicious symbols of Buddhism. His extended earlobes point to his once royal upbringing, when his ears elongated under the weight of the numerous jewels adorning them.

The Buddha's fingers are slim yet sturdy; in fact his whole body glows with a composure that only a combination of a healthy body and a peaceful mind can produce. His eyes too are gently closed in concentration, and along with his thinly pursed lips (with the naturalistic slight dent in the upper lip), and well-defined nose, make his mildly smiling face calming, yet invigorating.

This splendid sculpture displays the artists grasp over the diverse nuances of human anatomy, which he has successfully blended into the image of the Buddha, presenting before the worshipper a composite icon reverberating with harmony, inspiring us to bring harmony and balance into our own lives, leading to an existence which is in resonance with the rhythms of nature.

This piece of art was sculpted in Patan, a small town near Kathmandu (Nepal). After casting by the lost-wax process it was subjected to a complex process wherein silver of 99.99% purity was inlaid both across the robe of the Buddha as also the petals of the lotuses making up his pedestal.

Click Here to view the detailed carving on the back of this sculpture.

Free Shipping. Delivered by

to all international destinations within 3 to 5 days, fully insured.

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.