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Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
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Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
NEPAL; Licchavi Kingdom (circa 300–879), 7th–8th century; Chlorite; H: 62 cm; Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Avalokitesvara stands with one foot advanced so the weight of the body is shifted to one side. The figure wears a miter-shaped crown with a figure of Amitabha Buddha in a niche at the front. The crown is similar to pictures of 7th century royal crowns discovered by archaeologists. Pieces of jewelry and a long sacred thread adorn the body. The lower garment secured with a belt and sash that is knotted at the side is carved with geometric patterns. The Bodhisattva's right hand forms the varada (wish-granting) mudra, and the left hand supports a long lotus stem that climbs from the ground. A female devotee kneels on the right side of the base. The mandorla behind the Bodhisattva has a beaded rim edged with flames. |
