Mogao Cave 17: Avalokitesvara Holding a Willow Branch

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Northern Song dynasty

Avalokitesvara sits on a lotus throne in the center of the painting. The Bodhisattva has blue hair, a large nose, and small eyes. The tall crown is decorated with a Buddha image and a flaming wish-fulfilling jewel. Ornaments, stoles, and a patterned dhoti cover the body. The left hand holds a willow branch while the right hand hangs down, holding a vase. The nimbus and the aureole are composed of colorful rings accented with flame patterns. Both are contained within a simple mandorla that is surrounded by large green leaves. The floral canopy at the top of the picture is flanked by a sun disc and a moon disc. A laurel, a rabbit, and a toad are painted inside the moon. Within the sun there is a three-legged bird. A vase full of flowers rests on the altar in the lower register. Beside the altar, a male figure dressed in black and a female figure wearing a headdress and rouge kneel on rugs and make offerings. The figures were drafted with a reed pen, while the lotus throne appears to have been painted with a brush.