Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA; Tang dynasty

The Bodhisattva’s tall headdress is covered with filigree patterns in a style that became popular in the Late Tang period (846–907). The presence of a Buddha on the front of the headdress identifies the figure as Avalokitesvara. The figure stands in the tribhanga posture. A vase is held in the left hand and the right hand is raised to hold a long necklace that falls to the waist and then loops over the skirt. Large ribbons are tied on either side of the headdress and twine about the arms to ripple down the length of the body. Buoyant stoles add to the statue’s rhythmic effect. Two mortise holes on the back probably supported a mandorla, and the double petaled lotus pedestal at one time must have fitted into a substantial base.