Nepalese Clay Figure of Padmapani Avalokitesvara

Nepalese Clay Figure of Padmapani Avalokitesvara

AGE: – Unknown
CONSTRUCTION: – Assuming Clay
HEIGHT: – 19.5cm
WIDTH: – 10cm at the widest part
BASE: – 5.5cm x 9cm
WEIGHT:  – 600gms
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A Nepalese clay figure of Padmapani Avalokitesvara is depicted standing on a double lotus pedestal. In this representation, the left hand grasps the stem of a lotus flower that rises to shoulder height, whilst another lotus flower is positioned behind the outstretched right hand, which is in the Varada Mudra. The reredos at the back of the figure show signs of an old repair (refer to images). Typically, representations of the Nepalese Padmapani Avalokitesvara are crafted from stone, brass, bronze, and wood or illustrated in paintings.

The lotus symbolizes Amitabha, the red Buddha associated with the West and recognized as the ‘Lord of the Padma or Lotus Family.’ The attributes of Amitabha reflect the essence of fire, vital fluids, the twilight of evening, the warmth of summer, as well as passion, devotion, and celebration. Similar to many sculptures in Nepalese and Hindu traditions, this statue displays a buildup of red color (vermilion) along with traces of yellow, which are natural pigments commonly used in Hindu and Nepalese cultures during Puja, when these colors are applied to the statue, appearing on numerous deities within these traditions.

In its earliest representations, Avalokitesvara Padmapani is known as the “bearer of the Lotus” and is typically portrayed as a youthful male adorned with jewels and holding a lotus flower. This characteristic originates from Indian art, where most depictions of this deity show the lotus stalk emerging from the ground, appearing to float with the water in which the lotus thrives. This deity is highly revered within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, which is practised in Nepal, Tibet, and China, and is also recognized as a Bodhisattva; in Burmese tradition, this Bodhisattva is referred to as Lokanātha.

Nepalese art evolved from the principles of Gupta art and was significantly influenced by the Pala style, similar to the development of Burmese art. Both eventually established their distinctive interpretations and styles of deities and Buddha statues.

The Sri Lankan philosopher Ananda Coomaraswamy (1877-1947) proposed that the lotus-holding Yaksha figures found in early Indian art can be analyzed from an iconographic perspective as that of Padmapani Avalokitesvara. [/read]