A LARGE CHINESE BRONZE FIGURE OF GUANYIN

MING DYNASTY

Seated in padmasana, wearing flowing robes, an elaborate necklace and a tall tiara, with her hair arranged in a high chignon with a holy medicine jar in her left hand, the right hand in the karana mudra. The figure rests on a large associated lotus stand with a small elephant to the front and two lotus-shaped candle holders to both sides, rising on a stem from a pond with stylised waves surrounded by an architectural fence, 61cm overall, 18kg. (3)

Provenance: an English private collection.

Cf. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, no.12.37.161 for a related earlier example. Two other gilded sculptures of comparable style with similar hand gestures and dated 16th-17th century are in the collection of the Chang Foundation, Taiwan.