Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA; Liao dynasty

The willow-wood Bodhisattva has a slightly lowered head and gazes downward beneath a high headdress on which the image of Amitabha Buddha is carved in relief. The hair falls in braids that spill across the shoulders. The left shoulder is draped with a stole that is gathered diagonally across the chest, partly concealing an ornamental necklace. The figure sits in a posture of royal ease with the right arm extended over the knee in a natural position while the left forearm leans on a raised support. The slender arms wear lotus-flower ornaments and the fingers are carved in detail. The long skirt appears heavy and natural with incised lines depicting the folds. The balanced curvature of the entire figure is elegant and refined. The statue dates from a period when religious sculptures were given strong human traits.