474 - (R) A STANDING STONE BUDDHA, NEPAL, 17TH CENTURY PALA REVIVAL

(R) A STANDING STONE BUDDHA, NEPAL, 17TH CENTURY PALA REVIVAL Dimensions: Height 18,3 cm Wide 10,4 cm Depth 3,6 cm Weight: 1038 grams A compact dark-stone image of the Buddha standing frontally within an arched niche. The right hand descends in varadamudra, the gesture of generosity, while the left is drawn across the chest to gather the monastic robe. Incised folds animate the close-fitting sanghati, and the serene face is framed by tightly arranged curls beneath a prominent ushnisha. A beaded and foliate border encloses the figure above a low lotus-patterned base. The sculpture belongs to the Nepalese taste for reviving the refined Buddhist vocabulary associated with the Pala traditions of eastern India. Centuries after the great Pala monasteries had declined, their elegant proportions, restrained gestures and architectural framing continued to provide an authoritative model for Himalayan Buddhist art. Its small scale concentrates the image rather than diminishing it. The shallow niche, frontal stance and compact carving give the Buddha the presence of a portable shrine, while the dark stone and softened details lend the surface a quiet gravity appropriate to close devotional viewing. For lots marked with (R), a 19% VAT is added to the combined hammer price and commission. This VAT is waived for: - Private buyers outside the EU who officially export the items.- Businesses inside the EU holding a valid VAT number, exporting to their home country. Proper export documentation is required to waive the VAT