.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The remains of gilding still evident in the recessed areas of the sculpture, together with the face, hands, and lotus petals worn smooth through centuries of devotional handling, testify to the intimate and sustained veneration of this serene image of Shakyamuni Buddha.
Stylistically, the figure exemplifies the distinctive character of Nepalese metal sculpture of the Thakuri–early Malla period. The transition from the refined naturalism of the earlier Licchavi tradition to the more assured and increasingly sophisticated Malla style is particularly evident in the powerful modelling of the body, broad shoulders, gently rounded forms, and restrained yet expressive facial features.
Typical of Nepalese casting of this period, the Buddha is distinguished by a high forehead, low-profile ushnisha, and the prominent double-banded hemline of his robe, which follows the contours of his powerful frame. The broad chest, attenuated waist, and simplified treatment of the robe lend the figure a sense of quiet monumentality despite its intimate scale. The combination of robust modelling and delicacy of detail is characteristic of the early Malla aesthetic, at a moment when Nepalese metalworkers were achieving an especially refined synthesis of form, finish, and devotional presence.
The present figure may be compared with a small gilt-bronze Shakyamuni of the Thakuri–early Malla period, dated to the 12th–13th century sold at Christie’s, New York, 24 September 2024, lot 941, whose serene expression, tightly curled hair, ushnisha, and diaphanous robe demonstrate closely related conventions of Nepalese casting.
Stylistically, the figure exemplifies the distinctive character of Nepalese metal sculpture of the Thakuri–early Malla period. The transition from the refined naturalism of the earlier Licchavi tradition to the more assured and increasingly sophisticated Malla style is particularly evident in the powerful modelling of the body, broad shoulders, gently rounded forms, and restrained yet expressive facial features.
Typical of Nepalese casting of this period, the Buddha is distinguished by a high forehead, low-profile ushnisha, and the prominent double-banded hemline of his robe, which follows the contours of his powerful frame. The broad chest, attenuated waist, and simplified treatment of the robe lend the figure a sense of quiet monumentality despite its intimate scale. The combination of robust modelling and delicacy of detail is characteristic of the early Malla aesthetic, at a moment when Nepalese metalworkers were achieving an especially refined synthesis of form, finish, and devotional presence.
The present figure may be compared with a small gilt-bronze Shakyamuni of the Thakuri–early Malla period, dated to the 12th–13th century sold at Christie’s, New York, 24 September 2024, lot 941, whose serene expression, tightly curled hair, ushnisha, and diaphanous robe demonstrate closely related conventions of Nepalese casting.