A FINE PAIR OF GILT-BRONZE FIGURES OF AVALOKITESVARA

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A FINE PAIR OF GILT-BRONZE FIGURES OF AVALOKITESVARA
MING DYANSTY

Each finely cast seated with legs crossed in dhyanasana wearing patterned loose fitting robes falling in folds on the flat base over dhoti tied at the waist, the face with a benign expression, the eyes looking down, the hair tied in a chinon crowned with a tiarra, the ears with heavy disc pendants, the neck with jewelled festoones hanging down to the waist, each with hands in differing mudras, one figure holding an orb in her lowered hand (minor break to one tiara) --the taller 20 3/4in. (52.7cm.) high (2)

Lot Essay

In the Chang Foundation exhibition Buddhist Images in Gilt Metal Catalogue, Spencer discusses the robes made of patches of cloth joined together known as kasaya. "Monks cut off their hair and refrain from wearing their previous clothes in order to remove all earlier bad influences. In Chinese kasaya is translated a futian (happy fields), so supporting monks is considered to be equivalent to planting field", p. 38

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