Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA; Northern Wei dynasty

The Bodhisattva has a slim figure, a high usnisa and wears monastic robes that flare outward in angular layers. The figure’s right hand is held in the abhaya (fearlessness) mudra and the left hand is likely in the vitarka (teaching) mudra. A four-legged stand supports the pedestal that is shaped like an inverted lotus.
The nimbus behind the head is engraved with a circular lotus blossom and is backed by a petal-shaped mandorla filled with flames. The inscription engraved on the mandorla’s reverse states the statue was dedicated in 520 by Wang Furu in memory of his deceased parents and wife, with the wish that they will find peace and be reborn in the Pure Land. The inscription also identifies the statue as Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, even though details such as the usnisa and monastic robe suggest the statue is a Buddha.