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Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a brown, wooden sculpture of a Bodhisattva, probably Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin). The statue is standing on a rectangular base with a decorative design at the top. Two small animal figures, possibly lions, are on either side of the base. The figure has long hair gathered at the top of the head in an elaborate headdress. The figure wears a necklace and multiple strands of beads draped over the chest and around the waist. The left arm is bent at the elbow with the hand near the chest. The right hand is holding an object, possibly a lotus flower, and there is a cloth or sleeve hanging down from the right forearm. The background is a gradient of dark gray at the top to light gray at the bottom. The statue appears to be on display on a beige stand.

Artwork Details

Date
late 6th century
Medium
Limestone with traces of pigment
Culture
China
Dimensions
469 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette