Mogao Cave 17: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Vaisravana

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Later Tang dynasty

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva and Vaisravana, Heavenly King of the North, are painted beside each other in the upper section of the picture. Avalokitesvara has a slim waist, broad shoulders, and an urna on the forehead. Standing on a lotus pedestal, the Bodhisattva wears a dhoti, ornaments, and a crown. The left hand supports a vase, and the large right hand holds a lotus. A stole hovers around the arms. Vaisravana is dressed in armor and stands on a rock pedestal. He has a thin mustache and beard, and wears a tall crown in front of a high topknot. The left hand supports a pagoda and the right hand carries a trident. The inscription in the middle of the lower register dates the painting to 930, names the sponsor, Dong Wenyuan, and states that the artwork is dedicated to his parents and brother. A monk and a female devotee kneel beside the inscription.