A LARGE STONE HEAD OF A BODHISATTVA LATE TANG DYNASTY, 9TH CENTURY AD

the plump face delicately carved with bow-shaped eyes, half-closed in meditation beneath slightly bulging eyelids and deeply cut brows arching down to the sharp nose, with full lips and chin, the smooth forehead below finely combed locks at the hairline, drawn up into an elegant chignon secured by an elaborate floral diadem

The Desmond Gure Collection, 1968.
Arthur M. Sackler Collection, New York.
Christie's Los Angeles, 4th December 1998, lot 42.

The head is in good condition, with restoration to the top of the nose, which now shows darker than the stone. The left ear lobe and a shallow section of the crown have chips.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Compare a stylistically very similar limestone head of a Guanyin from Longmen, illustrated in Ancient Chinese Buddhist Sculpture. The C. K. Chan Collection, Taipei, 1989, cat. no. 9.