Horyuji Temple: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

JAPAN, Nara, Ikoma; Hakuho period

The statue was originally the main statue of the painting hall in the eastern compound of the temple, and is now kept at the Great Treasure Hall. It was made near the turn of the 8th century, although the pedestal dates from the Edo period (1615–1868). It is also known as the Dream-Changing Avalokitesvara from the belief that praying to the Bodhisattva can turn nightmares into blissful dreams. Apart from the crown, the rest of the statue was cast in one piece, then gilded and the eyes inlaid with aquamarine. The casting process used to create this piece is unknown; however, trace of an iron core pin was left at the tip of the headdress. The work was listed as a National Treasure in 1952.
The Bodhisattva stands barefoot on a lotus pedestal with right hand raised in abhaya (fearlessness) mudra and the left hand holding a small vase between the thumb and forefinger. The hair is piled behind a three-leaf crown that is fronted with a large Amitabha Buddha. The facial features are sharply defined and the stylized folds of the garments are characteristic of the late Hakuho period (645–710). There is a touch of realism in the way the material of the skirt allows the line of the slightly advanced left leg to show through. This characteristic is reminiscent of the Early Tang period (618–712).