Dimensions: Height 40,5 cm Wide 27 cm Depth 20 cm

Weight: 5075 grams

The Buddha is depicted seated in vajraparyanka (lotus posture) upon a double-lotus pedestal with rounded petals, his right hand extended in bhūmisparśa mudrā (earth-touching gesture), summoning the earth as witness to enlightenment, and the left resting in dhyāna mudrā (gesture of meditation) in his lap.

He wears a monastic robe (saṃghāti) with borders finely incised with geometric patterns, draped across the left shoulder and leaving the right bare. The face is serene, with arched brows, downcast eyes, and urna at the forehead. The tightly coiled hair rises to an ushnīṣa surmounted by a pointed finial. Elongated earlobes frame the calm countenance.

The bronze exhibits the hallmarks of Newar craftsmanship: refined proportions, a softly modelled torso with naturalistic musculature, the elegant articulation of the robe with its incised hemline, and the crisply rendered lotus petals of the base. These stylistic features distinguish Nepalese works from their Tibetan counterparts, which often favour heavier, more rigid forms.

The underside is hollow and shows evidence of ritual filling, confirming consecration. Importantly, an old casting repair is visible on the backside of the figure, testifying both to the sculpture’s age and its long devotional use.

The surface has developed a smooth, dark patina with warm highlights from centuries of ritual handling.

Devotional repair practice: In Nepal and Tibet, sacred bronzes that suffered damage or casting flaws were traditionally repaired rather than discarded. Such interventions were themselves acts of devotion, ensuring the continued presence of the deity in ritual life. Often, when statues were repaired, they were also ritually re-filled with sacred materials and re-consecrated (a practice known as zhung in Tibetan). Rather than diminishing the value of the object, this process reaffirmed its sanctity and extended its role as a living embodiment of the Buddha.

Distinction: This 18th-century bronze consciously continues the classical Newar tradition of Buddhist sculpture that flourished in the Kathmandu Valley from the Licchavi through the Malla periods. While Tibetan bronzes of the same period often adopted more rigid forms and heavier ornamentation, Nepalese works maintained an unbroken lineage of refined proportion, balanced gesture, and elegant simplicity. This continuity was both artistic and devotional, expressing the Newar community’s role as custodians of Buddhism’s sacred artistic heritage.

This image of Śākyamuni in the bhūmisparśa mudrā is one of the most venerated in Nepalese Buddhism, embodying the historical Buddha at the moment of his enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree. The large size of this bronze suggests it was intended for temple use, serving as the central focus of offerings and devotional practice.