
Gilt copper alloy
The statue dates from the Malla dynasty (circa 1200–1768) in Nepal. With an average thickness of 2.3 mm, the statue is very light in weight. Though the figure is a Buddha, it has the trappings of a Bodhisattva, such as the piled topknot and elaborate jewelry. The hairline is bordered with beads while earrings hang from the hollowed elongated earlobes. The upper body is rhythmic and supple, curving at the waist and with the head bent slightly to one side. The Buddha sits in full lotus position and makes the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra with the right hand, the gesture by which Amoghasiddhi Buddha is usually identified.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 41.