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REVIEW ON THE BUDDHIST METAL SCULPTURES OF PATAN MUSEUM- PART 2

 AMITAYUS


Amitayus, Red Brass with Gold Plated, 17th/18th C.E.

Amitayus, the equivalent of Amitabh, is the Buddha of endless radiance and existence. Amitabha Buddha is the most popular of the Five Transcendent Buddhas, who presides over the realm of ecstasy (Sukhavati Bhuvana). Amitayus represents its oldest iconography of Amitabh Buddha, which later on appeared as a peculiar sect. In Nepal, Amitayus is admired as Aparamita and consistently delivered its accumulation of spiritual syllables (Aparamita Dharani) by its followers in the company of someone’s departing spirit. According to the iconography, Amitayus or Amitabh or Aparamita is usually depicted in paintings with red character.

The cast red brass sculpture of Amitayus is displayed at gallery E of Patan Museum. The sculpture is also plated with gold and inset with semi precious stones. It is dated from 17th/18th C.E. depicting Malla style and is about 16 cm high.

The general characteristics of the round sculpture of Amitayus seem lavishly decorated with ornaments. Therefore, it is easy to assume that the sculpture is of Malla period since the elaboration is a main characteristic of the Malla School of Art in Medieval Nepal, which was quite influenced by Kashmiri and Pala Styles of Medieval India. Here, the head seems a bit huger in comparison of its body, and other proportions are moreover inappropriate to the sculpture. The face of Amitayus seems lengthy and quite distinct serenity character than in Lichchhavi style. The eyes are horizontally elongated and painted with white pigment on its eye ball and with blue pigment on its cornea. The spherical dot so-called Urnakosh among the eyebrows on its forehead is also rendered. The nose is quite lengthy and lips are showing the serene smile above the minuscule chin. The lofty hair-bunch (Jattajut) painted with blue pigment above the head is projecting in a triangular shape where the jeweled crown (Mukut) inset with semi-precious stones is place over the head. The earrings (Karna Kundal) are also portrayed on its both elongate earlobes. The torso of it is in triangular shape with slender waist as female character, where the shoulder of sculpture is dressed by the shawl that is delightfully engraved with petite and simple floral pattern, where the long curl of the hairs painted with blue pigment are drawn in both shoulders. Here the chest of it is completely bare, where it can be seen the nipples in both sides, however it is ornamented by two varieties of necklaces (Kanthahar). Among them one is quite close to the neck which is affixing with pendant inset by semi-precious stones as similar as design of its crown. Another necklace is quite long and crossed over its chest and back, which is also inset by the semi-precious stones. The legs of the sculpture are drawn in the meditative posture (Vajraparyankasan or Vajrasan or Dhyanasan or Padmasan) with the right leg crossing over the left leg where the sole of both feet are turned upwards as in other forms of Buddha. And the lower body is dressed with loincloth (Jama or Dhoti) fitting like skin in translucent style with gently engraved hems and trimly creased lower border. Likewise, Amitayus exhibits here its right hand upon the left hand resting on the lap by showing the palm upward forming the meditative gesture and holding vase of immortality (Amrit Kalash) that is skillfully decorated with inset of semi-precious stones. Both hands of this sculpture are also adorned by armlets (Keyur or Bajubandh) and bracelets (Bala) inset with semi-precious stones. The elaborated lotus pedestal of the sculpture is represented in double stepped triangular round shape, where the upper lotus is drawn upwards and lower lotus is drawn downwards. The round solid row in the bottom depicts the orbit of the earth and the floral motifs are skillfully engraved on the flat surface above the row.

The gold plated sculpture of Amitayus is still in fine condition, though there seems some rotten portion of the gold in its nose, cheeks right lower lip and knees. Most of the stones inset in the ornaments of this sculpture had been already missing. The sculpture was cast by means of Lost Wax Casting (Si Lhoka Dhaleyayegu) Method and it is one of the utmost cases of metal sculpture based on Buddhism from the Malla Schooling of Nepal to reveal the development of sculptural casting technology with distinct characteristics of Metal Art in Nepal from late ancient period to late medieval period.

Dedicated to
Late Min Bahadur Shakya
(The Eminent Buddhist Scholar of Nepal)

Late Dina Bangdel
(The Eminent International Art Historian of Nepal)

Note
The dimensions of the sculpture is taken from the book Patan Museum Guide due to the inappropriate circumstances to re-measure the objects showcasing in the glass interior for security purpose.

Image Source
The photograph from Patan Museum by Tejesh Man Shakya

Bibliography
Bhattacharyya, B. (1987). The Indian Buddhist Iconography. Reprint. Calcutta: Firma KLM Pvt.Ltd.
Chhetri, Prof. Dr. G.& Raymajhi, Assit. Prof. R. (2060 B.S.). Nepali Kala, Vastukala Ra Pratimalakshyan. (In Nepali).2nd Edition. Kathmandu: Asia Publications.
Dahal, Prof. Dr. P. & Khatiwada, Assit. Prof. S. P. (2060 B.S.). Nepalko Kala Ra Vastukala. (In Nepali). Kathmandu: M. K.Publishers and Distributors.
Olschak. B.C.(1973). Mystic Art of Ancient Tibet. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd.
Pal, P. (1983). Art of Tibet – A Catalogue of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Collection. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art & University of California Press.
Rhei, M. M. & Thurman R.A.F. (1991). The Sacred Art of Tibet. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd.
Shakya, M. B. (1994). The Iconography of Nepalese Buddhism. Kathmandu: Handicraft Association of Nepal & ZDH/Technonet Asia.
Shakya, S. L. (2072 B.S.). A Study on Buddhist Metal Images of Patan Museum and Image Making Techniques. Tribhuvan University, Central Department of Buddhist Studies. Kirtipur, Nepal: Unpublished.
Slusser, M. S. (2013). Patan Museum Guide. Lalitpur: Patan Museum.

© All rights reserved by the Author Shanti L. S. Bajracharya

Special Thanks to
Prof. Dr. Milan Ratna Shakya
Head of Department
Central Department of Buddhist Studies
Tribhuvan University
Mr. Suresh Lakhe
Acting Head
Patan Museum
Mr. Tej Ratna Shakya
Founder & Foundry based Classical Sculptor
Foundry Foundation Nepal
Mr. Shishir Ratna Shakya
Founder & Creative Head
Kala Nest







RESEARCH DIRECTOR
 TEJESH MAN SHAKYA



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