The Most Popular Buddhist Deity of Tibet

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This typical image of Chenresig holds in its rear hands the stylized Buddhist lotus of wisdom and a rosary of rudraksha beads. The rosary, associated primarily with Shiva, here represents the practice of continuous mantra-recitation or japa, during which the beads are counted, each standing for a seed syllable or an invocatory mantra. The two front hands are joined, palms together, against the chest in the namaskara-mudra of paying homage. The legs are folded in the cross-legged yogic mudra of meditation. The lotus he is seated on have petals swirling like flames.

A large flame-like protuberance swirls up from Avalokiteshvara’s head. This is a symbol of wisdom. The whole composition exudes a golden hue, being a tribute to the compassionate radiance of this deity. His garments melt and form a pool at his feet, paying their own homage to Chenresig who is undoubtedly one of the most popular gods of Tibet.

This statue was created in the city of Patan using the lost-wax process.

Nepalese Copper sculptures – Their Care and maintenance

Nepalese sculptures are well-known throughout the globe for their distinctive features. The artists of Nepal specialize in making small religious figures, especially Buddhist and Hindu, and ritual objects in copper or bronze alloy. The characteristic features of sculptures of Nepal are elongated and languid eyes, exaggerated physical postures, round facial features, and sensuous youthful bodies. All these features exhibit a high level of skill and exquisite beauty that draw their influence from the artistic style of the Gupta and Pala Empires from ancient India. Nepali sculptures are especially appreciated for perfectly portraying the spiritual cultures of Buddhism and Hinduism.

Maintenance of copper statues

• Since Nepali statues and sculptures are gold-gilded and are also sometimes inlaid with semi-precious or precious stones, using any chemical solutions will damage their beautification.
  
  
• To retain the natural shine and luster of a copper sculpture, it is necessary to dust the piece periodically. This helps prevent the accumulation of dust on the surface that covers their actual beauty. You can usually safely dust it with a soft cloth or cotton ball with the barest amount of cool water. No amount of water should be left off after cleaning.
  
  
• You can also use natural oils such as coconut oil and wipe down every inch of the sculpture with a cotton ball. After applying it, you will notice a beautiful natural shine on the sculpture. This also prevents it from getting tarnished very quickly. You should avoid using any special cleansers that aren’t meant to be used on copper statues. 

The ancient artists of Nepal preferred to use copper more than any other material due to its amazing properties. It is a soft and malleable metal that makes it suitable for molding into any desired shape or form. A sculpture requires a structure with realistic intricate details and copper is an appropriate material for this purpose. Although copper sculptures do not need much care and maintenance, you should not question the need of cleaning them carefully.