A LARGE CHINESE BLANC DE CHINE FIGURE OF GUANYIN

18TH CENTURY

The bodhisattva depicted standing tall upon a large lotus leaf and flower, she holds a basket containing a fish in her right hand and clutches her skirt in her left, dressed in flowing robes adorned with long beaded chains, the jewellery embellished with floral and ruyi-head shaped pendants, with a tiara centred by a seated figure of Amitabha Buddha set in her chignon, her serene face framed by long plaits which trail over her shoulders, all above a pedestal formed as stylised crashing waves, the back with an impressed six character Wanli mark and a gourd-shaped mark reading Fujian Dehua zhizao, with a paper label for Hugh M Moss Ltd to the interior, 59.5cm.

Provenance: from an English private collection, West Yorkshire, purchased from Hugh Moss at Grosvenor House in the 1970s.

Depictions of Guanyin holding a basket containing fish present her as the patroness of fishermen. This imagery is also associated with an episode in the tale of Guanyin and the South China Sea. In this story, the Dragon King's third son went swimming in the sea in the form of a carp, but he was caught by a fisherman. As he was on land, the Dragon King's son was unable to change back into a dragon and he was taken to be sold and butchered at the market. Guanyin gave her attendant Shancai all her money to buy and rescue the fish. However, the Dragon King's son had attracted a large crowd at the market because he was the only fish still alive hours after being caught. Believing that the remarkable fish would grant the one who ate it immortality, everyone at the market bid to buy the fish. Shancai was outbid and begged the fish seller to spare the fish's life. Shancai's efforts were unsuccessful and angered the crowd, but Guanyin intervened, announcing loudly from afar that a life should belong to one who wishes to save it rather than one who wishes to take it. Ashamed by their desire, the people all dispersed and Shancai obtained the fish. He brought the fish to Guanyin and she returned him to the sea, allowing him to transform back into a dragon. As a token of thanks, the Dragon King sent his granddaughter Longnü to deliver the Pearl of Light to Guanyin. Longnü then asked to learn the Buddhist Dharma from Guanyin and became her disciple.

Cf. Sotheby's New York, 16th September 2009, lot 226 for a very similar figure of Guanyin holding a basket; see also P J Donnelly, Blanc de Chine, pl.76B for another comparable 18th century figure of a similar size also with a Wanli reign mark.