Eleven-Headed, Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara

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Name: Eleven-Headed, Thousand-Armed Avalokiteshvara
Brand: Exotic India
SKU: EO33
Price: 1020.00 USD
Availability: InStock

$1173

Includes any tariffs and taxes

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Specifications

	EO33
	Copper Statue
	Height: 24 inch
	Width: 12 inch
	Depth: 5.7 inch
	Weight 8.20 kg

Delivery and Return Policies

	Returns and Exchanges accepted within 7 days
	Free Delivery

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Fully Insured

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100% Handmade

All products are
MADE IN INDIA.

Welcome to the Statues > Copper Statues section of our store.

A Manifestation of Boundless Compassion

This exquisite copper statue embodies a profound expression of compassion and skillful means within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition. Towering at 24 inches tall, with a width of 12 inches and a depth of 5.7 inches, this piece stands as a testament to the bodhisattva ideal – the unwavering commitment to liberate all beings from suffering. The weight and dimensions are perfect for home display.

Symbolism in Form

The eleven heads represent the bodhisattva's ability to perceive suffering in all realms and respond effectively with wisdom and compassion. The arrangement of these heads is highly symbolic: The lower three heads symbolize compassion, peace, and gentle loving kindness. The head above these displays an expression of intense awareness and is meant to perceive and overcome evil. Above that, a wrathful face acts to destroy evil. Lastly, the topmost head is that of Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara's spiritual parent, a connection indicating the origins of his boundless compassion and his perfect wisdom. While traditionally depicted with a thousand arms to signify his ability to reach out and assist countless beings simultaneously, this statue evokes that essence, portraying a multitude of hands radiating outwards, each poised to offer aid and comfort. The gesture of his primary hands, clasped in front of him, often symbolizes adoration, reverence, and the unification of wisdom and method. Crafted from copper, a metal prized for its durability and conductive properties, this statue embodies the enduring nature of compassion itself. Copper has been used for centuries in sacred art, symbolizing both its intrinsic value and its ability to transmit spiritual energy.

Avalokiteshvara: Embodiment of Mercy

Avalokiteshvara, also known as Chenrezig in Tibetan Buddhism, is revered as the bodhisattva of compassion. He embodies the perfect compassion of all Buddhas. According to legend, Avalokiteshvara vowed not to rest until he had liberated all beings from suffering. Despite his tireless efforts, upon looking out into the world, he saw countless beings still trapped in misery. Overwhelmed by this sight, his head split into eleven pieces, and his arms shattered. Amitabha Buddha, seeing his plight, came to his aid and transformed the broken pieces into eleven heads and a thousand arms, empowering Avalokiteshvara to continue his mission of compassion with renewed strength and expanded abilities. This tale underscores the limitless nature of compassion and the relentless pursuit of liberation for all. Placing this statue will bring a sense of peacefulness to any home. It could be a great addition to any collection, or start a new collection.

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.