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Lot Essay
The back of the present carving bears an inscription that can be translated: On the 10th day of the 6th month in the 3rd year of the Qingli reign, Buddhist disciple Shen Zhen devoutly carved this Guanyin for his parents.
Qingli was the 6th reign title of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song dynasty, spanning from 1041 to 1048. Guided by Confucian principles, Emperor Renzong signed an armistice with the Xixia Kingdom. The Northern Song dynasty enjoyed great cultural and economic prosperity in this period, during which literature and art of all forms flourished. Song-period images of Buddhist deities, especially Guanyin, departed from earlier styles characterised by grandeur and voluptuous bodies, and transited to a more subdued presence in pursuit of naturalism, serenity and retrained grace. The present figure is peacefully seated with crossed legs and folded arms beneath a voluminous robe. Its naturalistically carved face, with finely rendered features, conveys a serene expression.
Qingli was the 6th reign title of Emperor Renzong of the Northern Song dynasty, spanning from 1041 to 1048. Guided by Confucian principles, Emperor Renzong signed an armistice with the Xixia Kingdom. The Northern Song dynasty enjoyed great cultural and economic prosperity in this period, during which literature and art of all forms flourished. Song-period images of Buddhist deities, especially Guanyin, departed from earlier styles characterised by grandeur and voluptuous bodies, and transited to a more subdued presence in pursuit of naturalism, serenity and retrained grace. The present figure is peacefully seated with crossed legs and folded arms beneath a voluminous robe. Its naturalistically carved face, with finely rendered features, conveys a serene expression.