6ft Majestic Large Sized Copper Avalokiteshvara (The earthly manifestation of the self-born eternal Buddha Amitabha) (This Rare Artwork was handmade in Nepal)

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According to the legend, the Bodhisattva was wrecked after seeing the sufferings of the earth dwellers. When the intensity of his affection for the humans reached its height, Avalokiteshvara’s head exploded. His head was replaced by Amitabha with ten heads, on top of which he placed his head. In this hypnotic copper Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara statue, he is present as a great pillar between the human world and the home of the divines. His eight heads represent the eight cardinal directions and the three other heads signify the zenith, the center, and the nadir. Nine faces of Avalokiteshvara have a tranquil expression on them, while the tenth one with ferociousness to it, and belong to his father Amitabha. A thousand arms of Avalokiteshvara can be seen in this copper gilded with a gold statue, forming a majestic mandala-style halo around his standing image. A Chattra (umbrella), a symbol of royalty is placed above the eleven-headed copper Avalokiteshvara statue.

Avalokiteshvara is draped in a lovely dhoti (lower body garment) delineated perfectly in metal with its fringes curling on both sides beautifully. Stylistically carved Nepalese jewelry enhances the exquisiteness of this Bodhisattva statue. In his right hand, Avalokiteshvara holds a rosary in the shape of infinity, representing the unending cycle of life and death. A lotus flower in his left hand symbolizes his powers to free the humans from the muddy waters of existence. The primary hands of Avalokiteshvara are held close to his heart, in a gesture of admiration.

The glistening platform on which Avalokiteshvara stands is a two-tiered pedestal with its lower body adorned with mythical creatures and the primary section shaped like a lotus, each of its petals perfectly carved. The visual effect of this golden eleven-headed and thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is otherworldly. The gold coating over copper has endowed the Avalokiteshvara statue with a pull that transforms us into the mystical realms of the Bodhisattva.

Avalokiteshvara’s eyes are slightly relaxed, in a manner that suggests his looking down from his heavenly abode on the sufferings of the humans, an act which earned him the name, meaning “one who looks with a resolute eye”.  Materially and spiritually rich, this copper Avalokiteshvara or Chenrezig statue is a must-have visual and metaphysical experience for a follower of the Bodhisattva, as well as the connoisseur of art.

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.