508 - STANDING BRONZE GILT BUDDHA NEPAL 18TH CENTURY

STANDING BRONZE GILT BUDDHA NEPAL 18TH CENTURY Dimensions: Height 7,5 cm Wide 3 cm Depth 1,4 cm Weight: 125 grams with base A small gilt-bronze standing Buddha, shown frontally in a long monastic robe and mounted on a later wooden base. The robe falls in a continuous column around the slender body and is enriched with finely incised floral and scrolling ornament. The serene face, elongated earlobes and prominent ushnisha remain clearly legible despite the diminutive scale, while traces of gilding and red pigment animate the surface. Newar metalworkers of the Kathmandu Valley were celebrated for combining precise casting with elaborate finishing techniques. Incised textile patterns such as those visible here transform the otherwise restrained monastic garment into a richly worked surface, creating a deliberate contrast between spiritual simplicity and precious craftsmanship. The figure has the intimacy of a private devotional image. Its small scale invites close viewing, where the surviving gilding, engraved robe and subtle modelling become more apparent and reveal the considerable amount of work invested in this compact sculpture.