Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

NEPAL

Avalokitesvara stands in tribhanga posture with the right foot slightly raised from the ground. The figure is identified by the Buddha image on the crown and the slightly damaged lotus flower in the left hand. The Bodhisattva’s hair is tied into a high topknot and secured in place by a crown. The upper body is decorated with ornate jewelry and a long sacred thread. A skirt secured with a belt covers the lower body. The folds of the garment overlap and hang down the thighs. The statue was created by the lost-wax method and metal used contains a high proportion of copper. Many aspects of this figure show the artistic influence of the Pala period (circa 8th–12th century).