Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva

CHINA; Sui dynasty

The statue is damaged, but considerable detail remains. Avalokitesvara wears a headdress fronted by a Buddha and decorated with foliated patterns. A ribbon runs along the rim of the headdress and drapes down on either side to overlap the shoulders. The tranquil face has closed eyes. A few pieces of simple jewelry decorate the body, with most notably being the long necklace that loops over the skirt. A stylized stole falls from the left shoulder to drape over the opposite arm. The top of the skirt folds down and is secured by a sharply defined draw string tied in a bow. This style of statue, with smooth and understated lines, is typical of the Northern Qi (550–577) to early Sui dynasties.