Woljeongsa Temple: Avalokitesvara and a Child

SOUTH KOREA, Gangwon, Pyeongchang; Joseon dynasty

Avalokitesvara has a large forehead, small eyes, and a thin mustache. The black hair is drawn back tight on the head and hangs down behind the left ear. The Bodhisattva wears a three-leaf crown, a robe with padded shoulders, and a flowing stole that elegantly blends with the swirling clouds and waves in the background. An aureole and a nimbus depicted with simple golden lines surround the body. Standing in an elegant pose with one foot in front of the other, Avalokitesvara holds a willow branch in the raised left hand and reaches down to pat a small child on the head with the right.
The image is traced in gold lines against a dark background. An inscription within the circle on the left states that by touching the head of this boy, Avalokitesvara is predicting that he will one day become a Buddha. On the right, an inscription within another circle reads “Illustration of Avalokitesvara.” A third inscription within a cartouche with a red background in the lower left corner dates the work to 1790.