Do you think this is an old Buddhist statue?

Hi,
I'm hoping that I've come across quite an old Buddhist statue. The height is 75cm and it weights 7.8kg. Given the greenish hue, and the weight, could it be made from copper/brass/bronze?

I would really appreciate some feed back because it isn't cheap, and I'd hate to waste my money.

Thanks in advance, as always.

 

More Quan Yin I would guess. @Any Jewelry is our guru on this.

You are correct that the greenish oxidation in indicates the presence of copper. However, as brass & bronze are alloys that contain copper, you will see it on these metals as well.

 

Yes I agree, @Any Jewelry is the perfect person to address this, her knowledge is second to none!

 

It's second to hers. AJ is very much a lady.

 

Oops... edited

 

She depicts Tara, an important Buddhist deity (and the Himalayan version of Guanyin). She is made of a copper alloy (bronze, brass, or perhaps a more complex variation), and probably was made in the area of Northern India/Nepal/Tibet.

I don't believe it is easy to date such figures, as the iconography is conservative, they have been made in the same way for centuries, and continue to be made today. The corrosion is not necessarily a sign of age, just evidence of a poor environment in her history.

Any Jewelry will be able to say more about her religious significance.

 

I am a little concerned about the lighter color splotches on buttocks and legs. The very top is free of oxidation and the white while the bottom is very corroded. I guess it could have sat in water. Just something seems off to me.

 

Many thanks, for your kind reply.

 

I too wondered why the lower section was more corroded than the top... the water theory seems quite plausible.

Thanks for your reply.

 

As @2manybooks said, she is Tara. In this case she represents the White Tara, with an open lotus flower. There are also Green Taras, they have a lotus bud.

This statue isn't very old, but as @Lark remarked, it has issues. Charming though she is, I would pass.

 

Many thanks, I will heed your advice and steer clear.

 

I just found another Tara, strikingly similar to the one you were considering, listed on Wayfair:
https://www.wayfair.com/decor-pillo...-tibetan-buddhist-deity-w005378277.html?piid=

Recently, I have seen other companies seemingly manufacturing traditional looking Buddhist bronzes. It used to be that such figures, made by the lost-wax casting process, were unique objects - a separate wax model was made by hand for each figure cast, with at least modest variation. With modern methods, identical wax models can be made in a mold and used to make multiple bronze castings that look identical. Some engraved details and patination may be added after casting to create some varieties. That may be what is going on in this instance.

 

Yes, it is one of those mass produced Nepali bronzes, mostly made for tourists and export.
Some are made in India, I think the one you posted is. I've seen it, or one very similar, on Indiamart.