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Small Song Dynasty Carved Wood Bodhisattva, 13th Century, China
About the Item
A small and very fine Chinese carved sandalwood figure of a bodhisattva, possibly Avalokiteshvara (Guan Yin), Song Dynasty (960 to 1276), circa 13th century, China.
Carved from a single piece of fragrant sandalwood, the enlightened being is captured in a moment of serene contemplation. The bodhisattva is seated in dhaynasana, hands in dhyana mudra, shoulders slightly hunched forward and head bowed in quiet meditation, supplicating himself to the experience.
The bodhisattva is dressed in voluminous, loose fitting robes that drape and pool around his well proportioned body, secured by a sash at his midsection. Long, pendulous, leaf-shaped earrings frame his broad face. His eyes downcast and heavily lidded, the beginnings of a smile forming on his sensuous mouth.
His hair pulled into a high topknot. A separately carved diadem would have originally graced his head, now missing.
The back of the figure with two consecration chambers. A large rectangular one taking up much of the upper back. A smaller one at the back of his head.
Remnants of red lacquer and gilding. The wood with a beautiful rich and deep patina.
The Song Dynasty (960 to 1279) saw perhaps the last renaissance of great Buddhist wood carvings in China. The sculptures from this period represent the culmination of a great artistic expression started during the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420 to 589), in which the divine form of the Buddha and the bodhisattvas was humanized. Wooden sculpture form the end of the Song Dynasty capture this ethereal essence in a way that had not been achieved before, or since.
- Dimensions:Height: 7.25 in (18.42 cm)Width: 4 in (10.16 cm)Depth: 3.5 in (8.89 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Late 12th-Early 13th Century
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor fading. Excellent condition for age. Small losses to his thumbs, as well as the ribbon securing his hair. His diadem missing. Age related cracks to the wood. Much of the gilding and lacquer gone.
- Seller Location:Austin, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU89475194173
About the Seller
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- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Austin, TX
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 7 days of delivery.
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