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Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara
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Thousand-Armed, Thousand-Eyed Avalokitesvara
CHINA; Southern Song dynasty (1127–1279); Ink and color on silk; 190.2 x 105.3 cm; Eihoji Temple, Tajimi, Japan
This picture of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva is thought to have been painted by a monastic. It was brought to Japan from China, and was listed as an Important Cultural Property 1914. Avalokitesvara, surrounded by a nimbus and a lotus shaped mandorla, has 15 heads divided into six tiers. The central face has a third eye and a small mustache. The 42 hands are extended symmetrically at the sides of the body, each holding a Dharma instrument or forming a mudra. The feet rest on lotus pedestals supported by clouds. Avalokitesvara has a kind and amiable expression. The lack of the stern look seen in Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) portrayals of the Bodhisattva suggests that this image was painted during the Southern Song dynasty. |
