Maijishan Niche 60: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA, Gansu, Tianshui; Western Wei dynasty

This Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue is located on the right side of the back wall and is mirrored by Mahasthamaprapta Bodhisattva on the left side. The head is ornamented with a floral headdress. The nimbus is painted on the wall behind the Bodhisattva. The eyebrows are slender and elongated, while the eyes are calm and slightly open. The closed lips convey a gentle and kind slight smile. The large outer robe of the Bodhisattva, with a high collar and broad sleeves, is worn over an inner robe. The Bodhisattva’s hands, enclosed together and held below the sleeves, are covered by a long, broad sash. The sleeves are quite long and trail below the knees. A loose stole drapes between two jeweled disks that decorate the shoulders. The robe’s hem drapes diagonally across the Bodhisattva’s feet. The sculpture is carved in high relief, and the robe is engraved to imitate thick material.