A FINE RED-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF GUANYIN

Description:

China, early Qing dynasty
H. 34 cm
Seated in vajrasana with his principle hands in bodhyagrimudra while the other fourteen holding different attributes or showing various gestures, wearing a skirt fastened around the waist with a ribbon, cape draped around his shoulders, bejewelled, his face displaying a serene expression with downcast eyes below arched eyebrows that run into the nose-bridge, elongated earlobes, his hairdo terminating into a chignon and set to the front with a small tiara.
South German private collection
The eighteen-armed Guanyin represents one of the most striking images of Chinese Buddhism during the late Ming and early Qing period. This form condenses the concept of the “Thousand-Armed” Avalokiteshvara: each hand symbolizes a power to aid sentient beings, yet the reduced number creates a more compact and powerful image. The technique of gilt-lacquered wood - a red lacquer ground overlaid with gold - once produced a radiant presence within temple halls. Today, the worn surfaces reveal an authentic patina, closely comparable to examples such as the rare multi-armed Avalokiteshvara in gilt-lacquered wood sold at Christie’s (Ming period), see Christie's N.Y., 16.3.2015, Lot 3198 - Traces of age, minor repairs, slightly chippped