LATE MING DYNASTY, 17TH CENTURY

The standing Guanyin is gracefully depicted with a serene, full-faced expression and a gentle smile, conveying an aura of compassion. Her hair is dressed in a high topknot secured by a lotus-form hairpin. She wears layered tianyi robes that fall in elegant, fluid folds, inlaid with silver-wire cloud scrolls, the borders of the long robe decorated with silver-inlaid lotus scrolls, and the chest partially exposed. Her right hand is raised in the vitarka mudra, while her left hand rests lightly on her right wrist.

Ming dynasty bronze figures of Guanyin of this size are exceedingly rare. Compare to a slightly larger silver-inlaid bronze figure of a standing Guanyin, 16th-17th century, sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 27 May 2021, lot 27.