
Gilt bronze
Avalokitesvara wears a tall Buddha-fronted headdress studded with gems, and a variety of other jewelry worn on the upper body and hanging from the waist. The right hand is raised, while the left hand hangs at the side of the body holding a vase. Stoles trail over the arms and hang to the ground on either side. The long skirt has dragon and phoenix decorations. The head and hands are larger in proportion to the rest of the body but do not disturb its symmetry. The fine workmanship shows the influence of the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127).
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Sculpture A-F, page 83.