1stbuddha
LOT 122 – Tibetan bronze Buddha, fragmentary ritual statue with signs of use
LOT 122 – Tibetan bronze Buddha, fragmentary ritual statue with signs of use
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Estimated value: €3,000 – €5,000. This Tibetan bronze Buddha statue is a ritual object that derives its meaning from use, time, and history, rather than from aesthetic perfection. The statue is cast in bronze and placed on a lotus throne, where clear traces of age and use are visible. A missing hand and damage to the lotus are old fractures with rounded, co-patinated edges, indicating damage that did not occur recently but has become part of the aging process. The surface displays a deep, dry patina profile with multilayer oxidation and mineral deposits, consistent with prolonged exposure and ritual use. The open underside reveals a rough sand casting structure without signs of modern restoration or interventions. In a Tibetan context, such damage is often associated with periods of displacement, temple decay, or iconoclasm, without a specific historical event being attributable to this object. It is precisely these traces that make the statue a document of religious practice and historical rupture, placing it closer to a museum study object than to a decorative artwork. The image thus represents an authentic fragment of Tibetan Buddhist heritage, in which use, loss, and survival visibly come together.
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