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Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
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Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
CHINA; Northern Wei dynasty (386–534), dated 471; Commissioned by Qiu Jinu; Gilt bronze; H: 25 cm; British Museum, London, United Kingdom
The Bodhisattva stands upon an inverted lotus pedestal that is supported on a four-legged stand. The figure wears stoles and a headdress with ribbons that appear to be flaring outwards. The Bodhisattva holds a lotus stem in one hand. The mandorla has a flame-patterned outer rim enclosing a circular lotus nimbus that is superimposed on an oval aureole. Sakyamuni and Prabhutaratna Buddhas are engraved on the back of the mandorla seated together, with a devotee beneath them making an offering. An inscription on the stand states the artwork was created in 471 for Qiu Jinu of Xincheng with the prayer that his deceased parents should be reborn in heaven. |
