Tibetan Buddhist Deity Amitabha Buddha with Deftly Carved Robe

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It is said that once Buddha was asked by his disciples the reason for an unprecedented light that filled the universe. The Blessed one replied that there was a world situated far to the west of this one, known as the Lotus world, and that Buddhas Amitabha and the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara lived there.

The cult of Amitabha is very popular in Northern Buddhist countries. It is believed that when his immeasurable light shines upon the Sadhaka (practitioner), all the grave sins and hindrances of karma are nullified. He contemplates subtle distinctions of the spiritual capacities of beings, and then he preaches Dharma according to their receptivity, revealing to them their lotus-like principle and the purity of their fundamental nature. In the Dhyana-mudra, his right hand supports the left. The right hand is the world of Buddhas and the left hand is the world of beings. Thus the mudra means that the world of Buddhas sustains the world of phenomena.

Amitabha has been represented in different forms and materials. In painting his complexion is red. In the present rendition he is shown seated in vajraparyankasana on a lotus seat. His hands are as usual in the meditation position, holding a begging bowl. His body is slim and slender. His eyes are downcast in deep meditation, the lips are upturned, and the earlobes are elongated. His neck has three folds (trivali). His hair, painted in blue colour is arranged in tight circular curls, and a jewel surmounts the slight high crown protrusion. His face is imbued with subtle concepts like bodhi, prajna, karuna and yoga, imparting a higher level of spiritual experience.

He is wearing a slight thick monastic sanghati, covering both the shoulders and the breast bared. The robe is pleated above the waist and falls in folds on the back. One of the remarkable features of this sculpture is the ornate decoration of the garment.The embossed ornamentation on his robes is very rich and continues even on the back. The ornamentation depicts scroll-designs, eagles, dragons, tigers and other mythical animals etc. The robes are edged with floral designs. There are eleven ornate lotus petals, embossed on the front of the pedestal. The rear portion of the pedestal depicts similar ornamentation as on the robes. The base of the pedestal also depicts floral motifs.

The execution of the figure and the decoration of the robes is excellent.

This description by Dr. Shailendra Kumar Verma, Ph.D. His doctorate thesis being on the "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (from its inception to 8th century A.D)."

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.