Antique Large Guanyin on Lotus Throne, China #16211RKE

Description

The close association of the lotus and Guanyin (Sanskrit Padmapani meaning “born of the lotus,”) is depicted in this provincial image of her sitting on a flat, round open yellow lotus pedestal held up by a stem flanked by red lotuses. As one of the Great Chinese Goddesses (Irvin), she was a cult figure during the late Ming and Qing dynasties in Southern China, where modest images were made in less costly wood rather than more precious bronze, marble and stone. Local artisans created less formal images for less sophisticated populations by  blending Buddhist, Taoist and Popular Folk Religion elements to create a new more engaging humble genre. In a Pure Land and folk-art tradition her face framed by pendulous ears is more human and humble than idealized. The splendid oversized 5-lobed crown with gold and rounded borders is in the center lobe with a deeply carved rustic Amitabha Buddha on a lotus surrounded by a pointed aureole. Her lalitsana pose is relaxed with both legs bent and bare feet dangling above but not resting on the pedestal as is her less formal vitarka-mudra (teaching hand position). Provincial Buddhist statues are a wonderful earthy blend of spiritual and folk art ,but until recent times were viewed as lacking in artistic quality and not worthy of study or collected, a trend which has now been enthusiastically reversed. Many sources including the Princeton University Art Museum have observed  pieces were sometimes repainted, redecorated and revitalized periodically often by Buddhist monks, probably the case for this piece which is in very good condition with expected paint and surface losses. The back cavity (bung) indicates it was consecrated.

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Source:
Lee Irwin, “Divinity and Salvation: The Great Goddesses of China,” in Asian Folklore Studies, Indiana University, Vol. 49, 1990, pp 53-68.