Lakshmi is a central goddess of Hinduism and stands for prosperity, abundance, and beauty. In visual representation, she combines aspects of material order with aesthetic balance.
Lakshmi is depicted in lalita asana; the left leg is bent, while the right leg is extended forward. The right foot rests on a turtle. She is four-armed. In her upper hands she holds a container with red powder, sindur dani, and a mirror. The lower hands display the gesture of granting, varada mudra, and the gesture of protection, abhaya mudra. Lakshmi wears the crown and full adornment of a goddess.
The attributes refer to different aspects of the deity. The sindur dani stands in the context of beauty and ritual practice, while the mirror refers to self-knowledge and reflection. The two mudras emphasize giving and protection as central gestures of the depiction. The turtle as a supporting figure takes up a motif of stability and continuity.
Pedestal and garment are worked with filigree. Fine wires are formed into small arched elements and assembled into patterns. Colored stones set accents within the filigree and form floral motifs. The statue is also worked on the reverse and is intended for freestanding display.
The depiction follows a clearly defined iconographic framework and translates this into the formal design of the figure.
Statue in copper, traditional lost-wax cast, decorated with filigree, gold- and silver-plated, accentuated with colored stones. The figure is patinated. The face is set in gold. Handcrafted in Nepal.
NOTE
The face painting is a cold gold application and is water-soluble.
Yala Craft by Shanta is an Asian company based in Germany. I sell my traditional Buddhist sculpture art, created in my own workshop in Nepal.