Tang Dynasty White Marble Seated Guanyin
£ 450.00
An Ancient Chinese Tang Dynasty marble statuette of Guanyin, the Chinese translation of the bodhisattva known as Avalokiteśvara. The figure appears seated with one leg crossed over the other, her left hand over her ankle. The other arm is bent, the hand now sadly missing. Facial features appear softly modelled, with a calm face and slightly smiling lips.
Date: Circa 618-906 AD
Period: Tang Dynasty
Provenance: The C. Roger Moss OBE collection. The late C. Roger Moss OBE was a renowned art collector who, throughout the years, thanks to his determination and enthusiasm, was able to create an outstanding collection of artworks, most prominently from China and the Orient, but also from other cultures.
Condition: The item has had a museum restoration with some infilling also to the back of the head. The statuette is mounted on a custom-made stand.
SOLD
Guanyin is the Buddhist bodhisattva associated with compassion. In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is any person who is on the path towards Buddhahood, which is the rank or condition of an “awaken one”, a Buddha. She was first given the appellation of “Goddess of Mercy” or the Mercy Goddess by Jesuit missionaries in China, and is became associated by some with the Christian Mother Mary figure. The Chinese name Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means “The One Who Perceives the Sounds of the World.” She is still regarded today as one of the most beloved Buddhist divinities.
To discover more about the Roger Moss Collection, visit our Provenance Collection Page.