Dimensions: Height 19,4 cm Wide 13 cm Depth 7 cm

Weight: 1054,6 grams

A finely cast bronze of Shadakshari Lokeshvara, the four-armed manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, seated in vajrāsana upon a double-lotus base. The central pair of hands are joined before the chest in anjali-mudrā, while the upper hands hold the lotus and the rosary. The figure wears a tall, pointed crown with elaborate foliate ornaments, earrings, necklaces, and armlets, all rendered in fine detail. The face is serene, with downcast eyes and a gentle smile, conveying the bodhisattva’s essence of compassion.

The bronze was made using the lost-wax (cire perdue) technique, a process widely used in Tibetan and Nepalese workshops. Each figure was modeled in wax, encased in clay, and then melted out to allow molten metal to be poured in. This method ensured that every piece was unique, with final details sharpened by hand after casting. Traces of cold gilding and pigment, now largely worn, may once have highlighted the crown and ornaments.

Shadakshari Lokeshvara is intimately associated with the six-syllable mantra Om Mani Padme Hum, considered the distilled essence of Avalokiteshvara’s compassion. Such images were placed on altars in Tibetan monasteries as visualizations of this mantra, serving as meditation aids and as objects of daily offering. The combination of Newar craftsmanship and Tibetan stylistic preferences in this sculpture illustrates the interconnectedness of Himalayan Buddhist art during the late medieval period.