Sculpture, Hanumān in añjali mudrā – Bronzo votivo, India meridionale (prob. Tamil Nadu/Karnataka), XIX secolo - 13.5 cm - Lost wax bronze casting

Hanumān in añjali mudrā – Votive bronze, Southern India (probably Tamil Nadu/Karnataka), 19th century

Votive sculpture in cast bronze from wax lost technique, with a uniform patina and traces of ritual pigments, depicting Hanumān standing on a stepped plinth with hands joined in añjali mudrā, a gesture of veneration and devotion towards Rāma. The monkey god wears a conical (mukuṭa) banded headdress, a torque, and granulated bracelets; his dhoti is decorated with cords and pendants, with well-defined feet showing traces of red from pūjā. The long tail wraps around the shoulders in an arch, creating a natural prabhāvali, a typical detail of South Indian production. The lower cavity retains residues of the core, consistent with a domestic or small shrine cult image. The modeling, solid and compact, belongs to the folk devotional style of the 19th century: simplicity of surfaces and strict proportions are combined with detailed craftsmanship, conveying an image of intense bhakti rather than mere decoration. The geographical attribution points to the Dravidian area, based on the style of the mukuṭa, treatment of jewelry, structure of the base, and the tail's flow.
Solid and heavy law, in good conservation condition.