Shakyamuni Buddha Statue – Buddhist Figure with Filigree on Throne

Shakyamuni Buddha on a throne, with aureole. The statue is worked in filigree, gilded and silver-plated, set with turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli. Shakyamuni is the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who lived in northern India in the 5th century BCE and founded the Buddhist teaching.

The statue shows Shakyamuni Buddha seated in padma asana, lotus posture, on a lotus pedestal. His right hand touches the earth in bhumisparsha mudra, while the left hand holds an alms bowl. The statue is placed on a on a stepped throne. A curved aureole frames the figure from behind. At the front of the throne, a curved victory banner, pataka, is attached.

The robe, throne, and aureole are worked in filigree. Spirals formed from thin wires are filled with small arched elements and combined into an ornamental pattern. Turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli are set into the filigree. 

The statue follows established iconographic conventions of Vajrayana art in the Kathmandu Valley, in which posture, gesture, and ornament are brought together in a balanced composition.

Shakyamuni Buddha

Statue made of copper, traditional lost-wax cast, decorated with fine filigree ornamentation, silver- and gold-plated, set with turquoise, coral, and lapis lazuli. The face is set in gold. The sculpture is patinated.

• Height: 27.5 cm
• Width: 19.5 cm
• Depth: 14 cm
• Weight: 2,086 g

NOTE
The face painting is a cold gold application and water-soluble.