A LARGE CARVED AND POLYCHROME WOOD FIGURE OF GUANYIN JIN/YUAN DYNASTY

carved seated in rajalilisana with the right arm rested on the raised right knee, wearing a dhoti open at the chest to reveal an elaborate necklace, the shoulders draped with a shawl, the face with a benevolent expression beneath the hair piled up into a high chignon, traces of gesso and pigment

Purchased from Galerie Beurdeley, Paris in 1976.

The figure is in reasonable condition but the left foot is missing, the right foot has been repaired (re-attached to the body) and is most likely the original. There is an area of repair to the back of the head and where the left arm joins the body. The left hand has been repaired (re-attached to the wrist) and the index, little, and half the second finger are missing. The scarf hanging from the top of the right arm is loose and has probably been repaired. There are numerous long cracks running through the face, arms, front and back, the hips and legs. There is a horizontal split running from the left knee to the centre of the figure and a vertical one running to the lower edge of the figure from this point. There are some breaks/chips to the scarf where it is tied at the figure's stomach. There is also a 2 x 2cm chip to the left shoulder and two smaller ones adjacent to it. There is a 29cm piece of the scarf that is loose and attached to the right thigh. Although quite a lot of the gesso is missing throughout the figure, there is still quite a lot remaining and with its original colour.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Carved in the round, this imposing figure represents the bodhisattva Guanyin, the Goddess of Compassion and Mercy. The size and ease in pose, together with the traces of pigment, hint at the original visual effect this figure would have had on visitors to the temple. The carver has skilfully captured the serenity and warmth of Guanyin, who is usually depicted as a beautiful female figure with a gentle smile and adorned in worldly accessories such as ornate tiaras and necklaces to emphasise her non-ethereal status, in sharp contrast to the stripped-back images of the Buddha. As it was believed that anyone who recited Guanyin’s name during times of distress would be rescued by her, she is the most worshipped deity in Buddhism and has therefore been frequently depicted in sculptural form.

 

Compare a standing figure of Guanyin with related facial features, such as the pointed nose and broad eyes, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco from the Avery Brundage collection, illustrated in Rene-Yvon d’Argence (ed.), Chinese, Korean and Japanese Sculpture in the Avery Brundage Collection, San Francisco, 1974, pl. 145. A slightly earlier but similarly carved figure, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 18^th March 1991, lot 343, was included in the exhibition The Art of Contemplation. Religious Sculpture from Private Collections, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 84; and another in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, is published in Hai-wai yi-chen. Chinese Art in Overseas Collections. Buddhist Sculpture II, Taipei, 1990, pl. 142.

 

The result of Radio Carbon Dating Measurement Report no. RCD-8065 is consistent with the dating of this lot.