Mogao Cave 17: Standing Bodhisattva

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

This 9th century banner is decorated with an image of a Bodhisattva with narrow eyes and raised eyebrows, standing in tribhanga posture on a lotus throne. The Bodhisattva wears a headdress, an inner robe, and a red monastic robe decorated with green and white patterns. The body is adorned with a necklace, bracelets, and an ornate golden belt that is draped over the shoulders, crosses in front of the chest, and hangs down to the knees. The right hand is held at chest level with the palm turned up, and the left hand holds an incense burner with faint lines of smoke curling upwards from it. The fringes of the canopy above the Bodhisattva appear to sway in the breeze.
The image is skillfully depicted by drawn lines and presented in various colors. The wash technique is apparent in the folds of the robe and the petals of the lotus throne. Uniquely, the blank rectangular cartouche is decorated with yellow flowers.