Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
Ink and color on silk
Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva
CHINA; Qing dynasty
The Heart Sutra is written in the upper half of this illustration, while the lower half contains a depiction of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. In a departure from the conventions of the time, the Bodhisattva is portrayed as a male figure. Seated in royal ease posture on a mat of Bodhi leaves, Avalokitesvara displays a mudra with the right hand and holds a whisk with the left hand. The Bodhisattva has large ears, long eyebrows, and a rounded jaw with a trace of stubble. Spiral patterns decorate the hem of the white robe. The long flowing lines in the image were painted with the brushstroke technique known as “spring silkworm spitting.” The Bodhisattva has a serene, wise appearance, resembling depictions of Vimalakirti in Tang dynasty (618–907) murals.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting A-H, page 74.
Cite this article:
author = Hsingyun and Youheng and Youlu and Wilson, Graham and Manho and Mankuang and Huntington, Susan,
booktitle = {Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Painting A-H},
pages = 74,
title = {{Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva}},
volume = 14,
year = {2016}}