Learn the very old forms of art existing since thousand of years
Since antiquity to the present, Patan is one of the places in Kathmandu valley where the medieval arts and architecture still remain in its original state. The city of fine arts is renowned for its rooster of talented artists, sculptors, carvers, and painters; their skill and class evident still today in the vestiges of the golden era of Lalitpur. Every palace building, artistic courtyard and graceful pagoda temple of Patan has stored the history of 600 years and the story of city’s journey through time and civilization.
Noted for its craftsmen and metal workers, it is known as the city of artists. Patan boasts some of the finest examples of Newari architecture in Nepal, as well as the highest concentration of monuments within the entire Kathmandu valley – over 1200 temples, stupas, Bahals of various shapes and sizes scattered throughout the squares and the fascinating backstreets in and outside the old city. The city is full of Buddhist monuments and Hindu temples with fine bronze gateways, guardian deities and wonderful carvings.
The Newaris have been masters in constructing houses, temples, shrines and palaces with wood. It was only natural that they began to refine the wooden, architectural elements with intricate carvings. The oldest carvings known are from the twelfth century.
Just like the casting of metal figures, woodcarving has been a domain of the Newari people in Nepal. They are concentrated in Patan. And this is where you could and still can find a concentration of small workshops.
The locations well known for hand-worked metal sculpture art is Patan. Metal sculpture art is most ancient art in Patan and is one of the most advanced and appreciated art in Nepal. Metal sculpture art in Patan has been dated back to the seventh century AD.
The many workshops and stores have created a vast pool of metal sculpture arts for buyers to choose from. Sculpting metal statue is a lengthy procedure that requires great skill. A large piece of metal sculpture can take up to six months to create and several people need to work on it.
If one visits the historical sites of the Patan one can see and appreciate the many stone sculptures of deities, animals, serpents, people, bells, water fountains, vessels, dwarfs, and Garudas (mythical half-bird half-human creatures) that were made during the Malla era.
It is the people of Patan themselves who have fueled the growth of this form stone sculpture art. Stone Carvers are used to working with traditional themes and images. Deities, serpents, yogis, oxen, lions, and the Buddha are some of the images that they work mostly nowadays.
Paubha is a traditional religious painting made by the Newar people of Nepal.Paubhas depict deities, mandalas or monuments, and are used to help the practitioner meditate.The Tibetan equivalent is known as Thangka.The paintings are made to earn religious merit both for the artist and the patron.
Paubhas are painted on a rectangular piece of canvas. It is prepared by applying a mixture of buffalo glue and white clay on it. The surface is then rubbed with a smooth stone to give it polish. The painting is done according to the rules and dimensions handed down by tradition, and artists cannot exercise their creativity.
Nepal is well known center for its ancient artistic excellence. Be its architecture, craft work, metal work or jewelry, Nepal’s reputation is still on the top. Silver workshop in Patan is one of the finest place to be at for the quintessential training the place has to offer.
The silver workshop is located in one of our homestay in ground floor of the home owned by Mr. Punya Ratna Shakya.A professional silver artist shall facilitate guest with necessary guidelines and instructions as to how to design different silver jewelries and arts.