
Copper alloy
Avalokitesvara’s hair is arranged in an ornamented two-tier topknot enclosed by a gem studded crown. Curled ribbons and heavy earrings fall to the shoulders, over which are spread locks of hair. A stole drapes down the shoulders and loops over the arms. The waved motif of the sculpture is further reinforced by the pattern of the skirt and the upward curving of the top pair of arms. The arms once held some prayer beads and a lotus, while the lower pair are joined together. The Bodhisattva sits in full lotus position on a double lotus throne. The petals are leaf-like, a common pattern in Bhutanese sculpture.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 347.