Young Bodhisattva

Description

Our hand-patinated figure is developed from a sixteenth-century Tibetan bronze depicting a youthful Manjushri sitting on a throne with a lotus flower in his hand. In the Buddhist pantheon, Manjushri, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom, is one of the most important deities. A bodhisattva is a spiritual being who has gained enlightenment, but who renounces nirvana and remains in the world to help others.

Bonded bronze. Hand patinated. 3 3/4"H; 3 3/8'' diam.

Art History

Buddhism was introduced to Tibet by the seventh century, and by the fifteenth century, stylistic influences from the art of Nepal and China had fused into a truly Tibetan synthesis. Many sculptures and paintings were made as aids for Buddhist meditation to remind viewers that, by achieving worldly detachment, they could reach full enlightenment and be released from the earthly world.