218 - COPPER REPOUSSE GILT HEAD TIBET 18TH CENTURY

COPPER REPOUSSE GILT HEAD TIBET 18TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 15 cm Wide 14 cm Depth 10 cm Weight: 296 grams A large, hollow gilt-copper head modelled in repoussé, with softly lowered eyes, gently curved lips, elongated earlobes and a small raised urna between the brows. Rows of tightly coiled hair rise over the forehead, their reddish copper contrasting with the warm gilding of the face. Open breaks and splits interrupt the upper curls, while the irregular lower edge reveals the sheet-metal construction. The surviving surface retains a compelling alternation of gold, exposed copper and darker age deposits. The calm expression, urna and characteristic hair follow the visual conventions of Buddha imagery. Repoussé, in which metal is worked from the reverse to create relief, made it possible to produce imposing sacred forms without the weight of solid casting; heads of this kind could form part of larger images or decorative ensembles. The fragment remains striking for the serenity of the face and the visible evidence of its making and later wear.