Mogao Cave 17: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty

Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva wears a stole, ornaments, and a crown with a Buddha image in the center. The Bodhisattva sits on a lotus throne behind a pond from which two lotuses rise. The aureole is decorated with diverse patterns and the nimbus is filled with swirling colors. A canopy hangs above the nimbus, and two small Bodhisattvas sit on clouds beside the aureole. An inscription at the bottom of the picture states that it was dedicated by a monk, Zhigang, and a nun, Shengming, to a deceased fellow nun, Yongshi. The monk Zhigang is painted on the left of the inscription, holding an incense burner. A male and a female donor kneel behind him. On the right, the nun Shengming is shown accompanied by two other nuns. Two examples of a stylistic evolution from earlier Dunhuang paintings are visible here: the hair accessories of the female donor are more ornate, and the figures hold their hands in front of their chests rather than in their laps.