254 - A LATE PALA STYLE BRONZE OF AVALOKITESHVARA

A LATE PALA STYLE BRONZE OF AVALOKITESHVARA Dimensions: Height 12 cm Wide 8 cm Depth 4 cm Weight: 337 grams A small cast figure of a seated bodhisattva in a relaxed posture upon a stepped double-lotus pedestal. The slender torso is adorned with necklaces, armlets and a high, intricately worked headdress; a tall flowering stem rises beside one shoulder. One arm extends toward the bent knee, while the other rests near the seat, giving the figure a gentle, asymmetrical movement. Greenish patination gathers in the recesses of the jewellery and lotus petals, contrasting with warmer metallic highlights on the face, chest and limbs. The figure depicts Avalokiteshvara in late Pala style. Such imagery draws upon the rich visual language of eastern Indian and Himalayan Buddhist art, in which the ornaments and lotus attributes of a bodhisattva express an enlightened presence engaged with the world. Despite its modest scale, the bronze has a finely articulated silhouette and considerable sculptural detail.