- Size: 20cm x 19cm x 11.5cm
- Weight: 1.3 kg
- Material: bronze
- Period and country of manufacture: bronze casting, estimated to be late 20th century, Nepal
- Condition: vintage; patina, oxidation and surface wear
- Single piece
Jambhala is a deity of wealth and protection in Tibetan Buddhism. His cult is particularly associated with the Vajrayana tradition, where he is regarded as a supporter of both material and spiritual abundance. His role is to guard against poverty, remove scarcity, and create the conditions in which a practitioner can progress in their spiritual work.
Manufacturing Method and Origin
The statue is cast in bronze, an alloy of copper and tin that has served as a principal sculptural material in the Himalayan region for centuries. It likely dates to the 20th century. Its stylistic features point to the metalworking traditions of Nepal, particularly the Kathmandu Valley.
Nepalese metal art is closely associated with Newar artisans, whose workshops have long produced Buddhist and Hindu imagery for temples and private devotion. The statue was made using the lost-wax casting method. The figure is first modelled in wax, around which a mould is formed. The wax is then melted out and replaced with molten metal. As the mould is broken during casting, each sculpture is unique. After casting, the surface is finished by hand and details are engraved or refined in the metal. The statue is hollow, which is typical of bronze casts from the region. In some cases, mantras or small prayer texts are placed inside the figure before the base is sealed.
The surface shows patina, oxidation, and wear. The greenish and brown tones reflect the natural ageing of the metal and the object’s history of handling.
Iconography
The sculpture depicts Jambhala seated. He wears a crown and elaborate jewellery, emphasising his royal and wealth-associated character. The pronounced belly symbolises fullness and abundance.
In his left hand he holds a mongoose, one of Jambhala’s principal attributes. According to tradition, the mongoose spits out jewels. It represents an inexhaustible source of wealth and the circulation of giving and receiving. The stream of jewels at the front of the sculpture makes this meaning visible.
In his right hand he holds a bijapuraka fruit, depicted as a rounded citrus fruit. In iconography it is associated with prosperity, fertility, and material abundance. Beneath his feet, attached to the lotus base, appears a spiral conch symbol, the shankha. The conch is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism and represents the sound of the dharma and its beneficent presence in the world. Its inclusion completes the sculpture’s association with wealth and blessing.
Taken as a whole, the work presents a peaceful form of the wealth deity.
Use
Today, a Jambhala statue is often placed on a home altar or in a workspace as a reminder of prosperity and responsible abundance. It may serve as a focal point in meditation when reflecting on one’s relationship to money, security, and the balance between giving and receiving. For many, the figure symbolises the idea that material well-being and spiritual practice can support one another.
