Avalokitesvara on a Carp

CHINA

This picture was painted by Dong Mengmei during the summer of 1979, when he was 52 years old. Avalokitesvara, with curved eyebrows, and lowered eyes, stands atop a carp that swims through turbulent ocean waves. The elegant Bodhisattva wears a headdress of flowers and looks down to the right, holding the hands within the sleeves of the robe. Avalokitesvara is peaceful despite the storm that rages all around, churning up the sea, causing the robe and stole to swirl around the body, and scattering the clouds above. The carp swims forward with its mouth open, looking powerful and determined.
The skill of the artist is demonstrated by the smooth, detailed lines on the clothing, the clouds, and the waves. The inscription on the left ends with the seal prints “Dong Mengmei” and the sobriquet “Shan Tao.” In the lower left corner, a red seal imprint states “Overcome all suffering.”