A CHINESE, EASTERN WEI STYLE, PARTLY PAINTED MARBLE STELE OF GUAN SHI YIN, standing in samabhanga on a lotus, on a rectangular base, his raised right hand holding the lotus, the left the customary heart-shaped attribute, wearing pleated dhoti, scarf, necklace, tiara, his face with downcast expression, slit eyes, broad nose, pouting lips, elongated earlobes, a leaf- shaped halo behind, both sides and reverse with inscriptions, bearing a dated inscription and a donor name, reading the fifth day of the tenth month in the third year of Xinghe of the Wei (A.D. 542), traces of gilding, brownish varnish, dated A.D.542

Details

A CHINESE, EASTERN WEI STYLE, PARTLY PAINTED MARBLE STELE OF GUAN SHI YIN, standing in samabhanga on a lotus, on a rectangular base, his raised right hand holding the lotus, the left the customary heart-shaped attribute, wearing pleated dhoti, scarf, necklace, tiara, his face with downcast expression, slit eyes, broad nose, pouting lips, elongated earlobes, a leaf- shaped halo behind, both sides and reverse with inscriptions, bearing a dated inscription and a donor name, reading the fifth day of the tenth month in the third year of Xinghe of the Wei (A.D. 542), traces of gilding, brownish varnish, dated A.D.542
62 cm high

Lot Essay

The leaf-shaped halo has a black painted inscription stating that this Guan shi yin was donated to the emperor Daoguang (reign period 1821 - 1850). Probably it was to be placed in one of the Buddhist temples as Daoguang was an ardent follower of the Buddhist faith.

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