A gilt-bronze figure of Avalokiteshvara, Tang dynasty | 唐 銅鎏金觀音菩薩立像

Gilt Bronze Buddhas in Sui-Tang Dynasty, Kuboso Memorial Museum, Izumi, 1993, cat. no. 170.

展覽:

《隋唐時代の金銅仏》，和泉市久保惣記念美術館，1993年，編號170

This elegant bodhisattva, depicted standing in tribhanga on a waisted lotus pedestal and stepped rectangular base, is adorned in a long dhoti and fluttering scarves. The kundika in the left hand, and the willow branch in the right, identify the figure as the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The contours of the slender body are well defined, characteristic of Buddhist sculpture in the high Tang dynasty. The curving form of the deity’s torso achieves an almost dancelike movement. This highly recognizable stylistic element of the swayed-hip posture became especially popular during the reign of Emperor Xuanzong (712-756), when sculptures in general became more dynamic in their design.