Large Nepalese Panas ritual lamp in bronze – 18th century

Large bronze Panas ritual lamp, Nepal, 18th century. It features a long worked shaft resting on a broad circular base and supporting a cup intended to hold oil or ghee. Decoration of lotus petals, vegetal friezes, and openwork sections. Former Claude de Marteau collection.

• H 45 cm Diameter at base 17CM
• Deformations due to normal wear and tear
• Provenance: Estate of the dealer and collector Claude de Marteau.
• Sold with certificate of origin.

Large Nepalese Panas ritual lamp

This large Nepalese bronze ritual lamp, 45 cm high, takes the slender form of a standing candlestick. More specifically, it belongs to the family of Panas, offering lamps designed to hold a wick fed with oil or ghee, clarified butter.

Its long shaft rises from a broad circular base to a top cup. The construction is articulated by several successive volumes, adorned with lotus petals, vegetal friezes, and fine beaded borders. Certain sections are openwork, while the different registers of the foot alternate smooth surfaces and relief decoration.

The unusual height of this example gives it a particularly strong presence, so it may be a Hawadar Panas, or temple lamp. The flame was thus carried well above the ground or the surface on which the lamp was placed, heightening its visibility in a ritual context.

The bronze retains an irregular old patina, with areas of wear and oxidation that emphasize the relief of the decoration. The upper cup likewise bears the marks of prolonged use.

Dated to the late 18th or early 19th century, this lamp comes from the former collection of Claude de Marteau. Through its proportions, decoration, and use, it constitutes a fine example of ritual bronze objects produced in the art of Nepal.

Nepalese bronze Panas ritual lamp, designed to hold a wick fed with oil or ghee, traditional clarified butter.

Other Nepalese lamps from the same collection will be offered soon.