Dimensions: Height 22 cm Wide 9 cm Depth 3,5 cm without base

Weight: 890 grams with base

This finely cast bronze figure depicts Padmapani, the lotus-bearing form of Avalokiteśvara, standing gracefully on a lotus pedestal. The bodhisattva’s right hand is extended in varadamudrā, the gesture of granting boons, while the left holds the stem of a lotus blossom rising to his shoulder. The face is modeled with serene expression, framed by elongated earlobes and crowned by an elaborate tiara with traces of inlay. The figure is adorned with finely incised jewelry, sacred thread, and elegant striated drapery, falling in natural folds over the legs.

The statue shows strong stylistic connections with Kashmiri aesthetics of the 11th–13th centuries, particularly in the treatment of the facial features and the fluid detailing of the ornaments, while its casting and iconographic details point towards its creation in Western Tibet under Kashmiri artistic influence. The back of the figure retains traces of age accretion, consistent with centuries of ritual use.

Such bronzes were highly revered in both monastic and private devotional contexts, serving as portable embodiments of compassion.

Provenance & Importance: Padmapani is the most popular form of Avalokiteśvara, symbolizing purity and compassion. Sculptures of this type from the 13th century are rare survivals, especially those showing this synthesis of Kashmiri and Tibetan traditions, reflecting the flourishing of artistic and religious exchange along the Western Himalayas.