Dimensions: Height 9 cm Wide 7 cm Depth 4 cm

Weight: 234 grams

inely cast bronze figure of Jambhala, the Buddhist deity of wealth and prosperity, seated in royal ease upon a lotus pedestal. The pot-bellied deity is richly adorned with a foliate crown, large circular earrings, necklaces, armlets, and anklets. His right hand holds a jewel, while his left grasps a mongoose, the auspicious animal associated with the bestowal of riches and the overcoming of poverty. The broad face with almond-shaped eyes and gently smiling expression reflects the refined sculptural traditions of early Tibetan bronzes.

Jambhala occupies an important place within Vajrayana Buddhism as a protector and dispenser of abundance, both material and spiritual. Images of the deity were widely employed in personal shrines and monastic settings as objects of devotion and ritual practice.

The sculpture displays a warm coppery-brown surface with traces of gilding and areas of green oxidation, the underside sealed with a copper plate.