A very fine gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara


17th/18th centuryFinely cast with serene expression on the face and framed by pendulous ears, surmounted by a leaf crown cast with Amitabha Buddha, seated in rajalilasana on a ledge incised with floral scrolls, with the left arm resting on the bent left knee and holding the wish-fulfilling pearl, the right arm supporting a kalasha vase in the palm, the Bodhisattva clad in loose clothing cascading and adorned with ornamental jewellery. 17.6cm (6 7/8in) high.
|十七/十八世纪 銅鎏金觀音菩薩半跏趺坐像Provenance: Sir William Henry Wilkinson (1858-1930), Consul General in China between 1900 and 1917, and thence by descent來源： William Henry Wilkinson爵士（1858-1930年）收藏，1900至1917年期間任駐華領事，並由後人保存迄今The remarkable figure is particularly notable for the refined level of detailing, noted in the meticulous scroll work decorating the pedestal and the hem of the dhoti, which captures a sense of majesty associated with Avalokiteshvara. The blending of Chinese and Indo-Himalayan elements, which the figure appears to incorporate, emerged at the end of the Yuan dynasty. A typical feature of Nepalese iconography, the hair arranged in multiple and long braids is depicted on a slender figure defined by broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist and long legs, which are typical elements derived from the Chinese tradition.Seated in the pose of 'royal ease' and holding the wish-fulfilling pearl representing the luminous, pure and flawless state of mind, the deity probably depicts the Water-Moon Guanyin, an iconography derived from Tang dynasty paintings.Compare with a similar but larger gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, 16th/17th century, illustrated by the Chang Foundation, Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal, Taipei, 1993, p.85, fig.35. A related gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, 18th century, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong, 2 December 2016, lot 787.