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Ten-Armed Avalokitesvara
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Ten-Armed Avalokitesvara
INDONESIA; 8th–9th century; Bronze; H: 35 cm; Guimet Museum of Asian Art, Paris, France
This rare Ten-Armed Avalokitesvara wears a headdress fronted by a Buddha, behind which is an oval hollow nimbus rimmed with flames. The Bodhisattva wears ornate jewelry as well as a stole that runs across the chest. Two belts, one around the waist and other around the hips, are similar in style to the collar necklace and headband. The accessories date the statue to circa the 8th or 9th centuries. The two hands at the front are raised in a mudra while the remaining arms fan out holding various Dharma implements: a vase, prayer beads, sutra scroll, vajra, and a lotus bud. Other objects are missing from the empty hands. The lower garment worn by the figure is tiger skin, originally an attribute of the Hindu god Shiva that joined the Indian Vajrayana Buddhist pantheon during this period. |
