Mogao Cave 17: Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA, Gansu, Dunhuang; Tang dynasty to Five Dynasties

This painting from Mogao Cave 17 appears to be the work of a child. Avalokitesvara wears a crown adorned with a Buddha image in front of two topknots. The Bodhisattva has a thin mustache and beard on the simply drawn face. Lines of cloud are painted beside the patterned nimbus. The left hand grasps a vase and the right hand holds up a willow branch. A stole, beaded ornaments, and a dhoti cover the body. Avalokitesvara stands on a lotus pedestal that rises from a small pond. A bird stands on either side of the pedestal, and there is a willow tree on the left. A small child is painted on the left side of the picture beside a blank cartouche. While the arms, feet, and face of the figure are crude and disproportionate, the willow branch held in the right hand seems to be painted more carefully, raising interesting questions about the artist and the purpose of this picture.