AN IMPORTANT AND LARGE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA

Description:

China, Kangxi period, early 18th cent.
H. 65 cm
The eleven-faced, thousand-armed manifestation of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, Avalokiteshvara, is standing in samabhanga on a separate cast lotus base decorated with a double row of petals, his many arms radiating around his body with his principle hands clasped in the anjalimudra, six other hands holding attributes including lotus flower, ratna, kamandalu or showing various gestures like the boon-granting mudra, behind these eight arms is visible a multitude of arms divided over two sections flanking his body, wearing dhoti fastened around the waist with a belt knotted to the front decorated with several pearled strings falling down his upper legs, the skirt borders finely cast with scrolling tendrils, scarf draped around his shoulder with its streamers encircling his arms and their finials curling up again, lavishly bejewelled, his head consisting of eleven faces divided over five levels, the first three showing each three with a serene facial expression, downcast eyes below arched eyebrows that run into their nose-bridges, smiling lips, elongated earlobes with ear ornaments, surmounted by an angry face, topped with the head of Buddha Amitabha and their blue coloured hairdo’s all secured with tiara's ornamented with flowers, resealed.
According to the present owner from a former French collection, South-Western France. According to family tradition, it was acquired in Beijing in 1904 by an ancestor of the family, by descent to a family member from whiom bought by the present owner - Traces of ag and minor wear, attributes partly lost