Page 78 - 2019 September 10th Sotheby's Important Chinese and Tibetan Buddhist Art, New York

his beautifully rendered image of the most beloved The majority of China’s early depictions of favored
deity in Buddhism displays classic characteristics Buddhist subjects and deities included works centering on
T of the Sui and early Tang period. Capelets like Shakyamuni and Maitreya, however in the Sui and Tang
that of the present figure, worn crossed in front of the periods, Avalokiteshvara and Amitabha were painted and
body with the ends draped across opposing arms, with an carved in greater numbers. According to Chun-fang Yu,
additional sash joining the draping on the lower arm, were ed. Marsha Weidner, Latter Days of the Law: Images of
a common feature of the late 6th century, as discussed in Chinese Buddhism, 850-1850, Lawrence, Kansas, 1994,
regard to a related gilt bronze figure illustrated in Denise p. 152, a list of statues at Luoyang after the early Tang
Patry Leidy and Donna Strahan, Wisdom Embodied: period included 222 of Amitabha, 197 of Avalokiteshvara,
Chinese Buddhist and Daoist Sculpture in the Metropolitan 94 of Shakyamuni, and 62 of Maitreya. The willow branch
Museum of Art, New Haven, 2010, pl. 12. The Metropolitan iconography can be traced to the complex sinicization of
Museum figure wears similar jewelry, holds a luxuriant Avalokiteshvara in relation to the developments in Chinese
branch of willow, and bears the same slight lean of worship of the deity. The willow branch attribute is not
the hips, but has a more elaborate base and retains seen in Indian and Tibetan depictions of the bodhisattva,
its mandorla. Compare another figure, also attributed and can possibly be connected to the importance placed
to the Sui dynasty, illustrated in Saburō Matsubara, on the intense recitation of the Dharani Sutra of Invoking
Chinese Buddhist Sculpture: A Study Based on Bronze Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara to Dissipate and Subdue
and Stone Statues other than from Cave Temples, Tokyo, Poison and Harm (Qing Guanshiyin Pusa xiaofu duhai
1966, pls 224a-c, with a diadem and necklace of circular tuoluoni zhoujing), first translated from Sanskrit to
cabochons similar to those present. Whilst the Matsubara Chinese by Zhu Nanti of the Eastern Jin dynasty, in which
figure has lost the attributes once in the figure’s hands, Buddha directs ailing disciples to offer Avalokiteshvara
other similarities include the evenly striated coiffure, the willow branches and clean water in order to receive his
casting of the sash tied around the hips, and the incised great mercy. A painting in Dunhuang depicts a standing
delineation of the garment drapery to the back of the Avalokiteshvara with willow branch in the raised hand,
figure. Compare as well a figure in the National Palace the capelet not crossed in front as the present example
Museum, Taipei, attributed to the Sui or Tang dynasty, but similarly draped over the arms, illustrated in Weidner,
with a base similar to the present figure’s, illustrated in op. cit., pl. 47. Two paintings from the Qian Fo Dong
Lidai jintongfo zaoxiang tezhan tulu/A Special Exhibition of at Dunhuang, now at the British Museum, acc. nos
Recently Acquired Gilt-Bronze Buddhist Images, National 1919,0101,0.14 and 1919,0101,0.157, also portray the
Palace Museum, Taipei, 1996, cat. no. 6. bodhisattva with a willow branch.