Buddha Statues: Way of Enlightenment

May 21, 2009 by  
Filed under Antiques

Timmyandreuje asked:


Buddhism is ubiquitous; it is a religious philosophy that has many followers worldwide. It is based on the ethics, enlightenment and compassion. The statues of Buddha represent the “enlightened one.” In today’s robotic life, when everyone is search of serenity and tranquility- Buddha statues comes as a great relief. Buddha statues and sculptures can be seen all around us, in the living area, office space and garden area to bring in the serenity in the house.

There’s a wide-variety of hand-carved Buddhist deities sculptures based on templates and standardized styles such as wooden happy buddha, hand carved sitting buddha, blessing buddha statues, meditating buddha statue, reclining buddha, siddhartha buddha, large thai buddha, buddha on lotus, serenity buddha, teaching buddha etc. Each statue is unique. There’s variation in carving, artisans flair and creativity. There are varieties of Buddhist statues and sculptures

Garden Buddha Statues:

They are made form a variety of materials including granite, stone, brass and bronze. People custom orders garden statues to enhance the exterior décor of Zen gardens and meditation gardens.

Large Buddha Statues:

They are the most revered statues of Buddha and Bodhisattva. Their size of these statues is up to feet tall or higher. Elegant and beautifully finished large Buddha Statues, come in a variety of style, shape and designs. The craftsmanship of these statues enhances the décor and uplifts the home décor.

Wooden Buddha Statues:

Statues of Buddha statues are made from a variety of material and wooden Buddha statues are the most popular. These sculptures are made handmade from a variety of wood like shesham and rosewood. These sculptures are carved, aged and dried. It requires great craftsmanship and minute detailing to create a beautiful piece of wooden Buddha sculptures. The great luster of wooden statues of Buddha is imparted by polishing and finishing it with stains and teak oil. It is the brilliant work of art and serene additions to any home.

Laughing Buddha:

Laughing Buddha is referred to a non-Buddhist Chinese monk. His name was Ho Tai.

He is also popularly called the Happy Buddha. Many believe laughing Buddha is an incarnation of a Buddha who will appear in the future. Statues of laughing Buddha are the representation of contentment and abundance. The sculpture is seen as smiling or laughing with bulging pot-belly. Its statues can be seen in various temples, restaurants and business. They are placed in the house to bring in the prosperity and good luck.

Standing Buddha Statues:

Standing Buddha is also known as Siddhartha Gautam Buddha. It is available in numerous sizes and styles. And perfect for homes, altars and gardens.

It is made from a range of material such as Brass statues, copper, silver standing, full gold plated, black brass, marble, wood in different shapes and sizes.



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The Charm of African Arts and Crafts

May 9, 2009 by  
Filed under Antiques

Herman Wheeler asked:


Africa is well known for its art and craft works, most of these arts works are found in the form of sculptures, fabric work, decorative items, musical instruments like drums, and paintings. Most of the statues will be carved in the form of humans, which represents great leaders. They make their art work in such a way that each and every piece of art reveals their tradition and culture. Normally Africans DO NOT show affection to each other, they make their art work which resembles their culture.

The statues of animals in African art are included with human figures, to further give praise to the person being honored. For example, a horse is considered a very noble animal, and including one in a sculpture of a man or woman means that person is being held in very high regard. Most contemporary statues are made of either stone or carved of wood.

Evidences of African art could be found as early as 500 BC, with carved rocks in the Sahara and sculptures from Nigeria. The use of bronze, brass and other metalwork, as well as the incorporation of terracotta, ivory and other embellishments were attributed to go back as far as 10th century AD, and usually reserved for royalty. African art forms that were not statues or figurines were still meant to be three-dimensional pieces. Decorative fabrics are meant to be worn, with the wearer becoming part of the art piece, while wall paintings, usually carved from wood, though flat, become part of the residence that it is hung in.

Most of the African arts and crafts resemble its tradition and culture. Each and every art piece resembles the daily life and culture of African peoples. And today those arts can be found in museums, one good example is African masks. African people used masks on some occasional days or on some regional ceremonies, and even in wars and also on the day of harvesting.

The styles and designs of African masks differ according to each country and each tribe . For example, the Dan people of the Ivory Coast and Liberia have wooden masks carved with African features, such as wide foreheads, flat noses, wide and full lips, accented by attached strands of rope to look like hair. The Punu people of Congo, Cameroon and Gabon have wooden masks with wooden hair, usually piled high as they represent wealthy women, and decorated with long strands of raffia along the jaw line. The whitened faces of these masks serve to scare off witches and evil spirits.

Other African arts and crafts used in old African traditions are African baskets. The baskets of the Etsha and Gumare tribes in Botswana are particularly famous for their beauty. While baskets are usually carried over the head, the influence of foreign cultures has modified the way baskets are carried, allowing totes to be slung around one’s shoulders. The result is many gorgeous designs of African ladies’ handbags which are still quite unique and appealing, using indigenous materials such as mud cloth and suede, decorated with fringes and cowries shells. Contemporary, yet still reflective of a vast heritage of African arts and culture.



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