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Water-Moon Avalokitesvara
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Water-Moon Avalokitesvara
CHINA; Northern Song dynasty (960–1127); Wood; H: 241.3 cm; Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
The Bodhisattva wears an elaborate headdress that enshrines Amitabha Buddha. The richly adorned figure faces outwards, with gaze absorbed. The upper body is only lightly clothed; the long skirt is decorated with dragons and clouds and is tightened with a sash that sways buoyantly to the ground. The Bodhisattva sits in a variation of relaxation posture upon a rocky outcrop, with the left foot resting on a lotus blossom. This exquisite statue, with most of its surface painted and some parts gilded, is one of the best-preserved wooden Bodhisattvas from the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), and is notable for its refinement and creative detail. |
