Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA; Ming dynasty

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva appears at ease, reclining on a rock. The serene Avalokitesvara wears a tiara on top of long, curly hair. Dressed in a white ornamented robe, the Bodhisattva pours water from a vase held with both hands. The water miraculously curves in the air and forms the shape of a lotus. The face of the Bodhisattva is depicted with fine strokes, the clothes are painted with thick strokes, and the rocks are portrayed with spattered ink. A variety of collectors’ seal imprints on the painting indicates that it was widely circulated. Two small characters on the lower lower right side of the picture reading “Shigu” suggest that it was painted by Jia Shigu of the Song dynasty (960–1279), although it may be an imitation of Jia’s style by a Ming dynasty artist.