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Amongst the various types of metals and materials used for Buddhist sculpture, bronze has been the most common one. The materials used for creating Buddhist sculptures play a pivotal role in popularizing the art forms of the Buddhist religion throughout the world. For making Bronze Buddhist Sculpture, bronzes that were and are produced in the lost wax method are unique, and then they are individually handcrafted by expert sculptors by using ancient techniques.
Driven by Buddhist religious doctrines, merit and ideology, the Bronze Buddhist Sculpture are sculptured and carved for Buddhist religious purposes. Making of Buddhist sculptures from bronze is a difficult and highly innovative process that requires experience, great skill and patience on the part of the craftsman. Besides being the most common ones, the bronze Buddhist statues are also the costliest pieces of art that are corrosion resistant and easy to maintain.
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Bronze, an alloy of copper, contains approximately two percent tin in it, are sometimes also combined with other ingredients that determine the characteristic of this alloy.
Lao Bronze Buddhist Sculpture
From the ancient days till date, the Lao artisans have used various mediums for their scriptural creations, of which bronze is the most common metal, followed by gold and silver. Although bronze is used mostly for smaller Buddhist statues and figurines because of its cost, still there are some large images made from bronze. In Laos, Thailand and Cambodia, the bronze, known as samrit, contains precious metals and mostly have a high percentage of tin for giving a lustrous dark grey color.
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Some of the notable instances of Lao bronze Buddhist sculpture include the 16th century creation of Phra Ong Teu of Vientiane, the image of Phra Ong Teu of Sam Neua, the16th century Vat Manorom in Vientiane, and the Buddha image at Vat Manoram (14th century) in Luang Phrabang.
Asuka Period Bronze Buddhist Sculpture
During the Asuka and Nara periods, gilt bronze Buddhist statues were imported from China and Korea in a great number. These statues were later reproduced in Japan’s court-sponsored workshops. Bronze, accompanied by copper, were the most common and popular metals used for Buddhist figurines. Some of the notable bronze Buddhist sculptures from this period include: Asuka Daibutsu, Shaka Trinity, Prince Shotoku Taishi, Miroku Buddha/Bosatsu, and many more.
Chinese Bronze Buddhist Sculpture
In China, two methods are used to cast bronze images: the lost wax method, and the piece-mold method. The former involves the use of wax model, packed with clay. After heating when the wax melts away, it is then filled with molten bronze and the clay layer is removed.
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