Senboku: Mirror with Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara

JAPAN, Akita, Senboku; Heian period

The mirror was discovered in Senboku in 1677, and it was listed as a National Treasure in 1953.
The gilt bronze mirror is shaped like a lotus and measures 14 cm in diameter and 0.5 cm in thickness. In the center, there is an engraved image of a Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with eleven heads. Forty arms stretch out from both sides of the Bodhisattva, holding objects such as a lotus, a vase, a staff, and a bow. The details of the figure are created using fine and delicate lines.
There are eight Dharma protectors standing beside the Bodhisattva, and underneath there are Vasu and Mahadevi. Vasu, a thin old man with a straw rain cape, is in strong contrast with Mahadevi, who wears a resplendent robe. The back of the mirror features floral patterns and a butterfly.