Craft · Patan (Lalitpur), Nepal
Inside a Patan lost-wax bronze workshop
Walk the lanes north of Patan Durbar Square with a guide to see the stages of lost-wax casting: wax models, clay moulds, firing, pouring and the long work of chasing and gilding. The craft has been practised here for centuries.
Photo: Sushilsakhuja · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CommonsPatan's metalwork tradition goes back to the Malla period, when its casters supplied temples and monasteries across the valley and into Tibet. Today the workshops are mostly small family operations in the lanes and bahals north of Durbar Square, many run by Shakya and Bajracharya families. With a guide who knows the area you can visit two or three at different stages of the work.
Lost-wax casting starts with a model in beeswax and resin, carved with fine tools. The model is coated in layers of fine clay, then heated so the wax runs out through channels, leaving a hollow mould. Molten copper alloy is poured in; when it cools, the clay is broken away. The rough casting then goes to finishers, who chase details with chisels, polish it and often gild it with fire-gilding or paint the face.
A small statue can take weeks; a large one, months. Watch quietly, ask before photographing, and do not touch work in progress. If you buy, ask about metal content and get a receipt. Many workshops sell directly at lower prices than shops on Durbar Square, but there is no pressure to buy.
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Trips through Patan (Lalitpur)
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Each of these trips stops in Patan (Lalitpur). Tell us and we keep a slot for this day.
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Comfort
Everest view trek to Namche Bazaar
Domestic flights to Lukla, private car in Kathmandu, five days on foot
Questions
Before you book
Can I buy a statue directly from a Patan workshop?
Yes, many workshops sell directly. Ask for a receipt that describes the piece as new work; this helps at customs.
What metal are Patan statues made of?
Usually a copper alloy, sometimes gilded with gold or painted. Ask the workshop what alloy and finish a piece has.
Do I need a guide to find the workshops?
It helps. Workshops are in small courtyards and are not signposted. A local guide can also explain each stage of the process.