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Late 18th century a gilt bronze figure of Avalokitesvara Qing…
Sale Title:
Auction House:
Auction Location:
Melbourne
Date:
22-Aug-2021
Lot No.
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Description:
Late 18th century a gilt bronze figure of Avalokitesvara Qing dynasty, 18th century, the deity with eleven heads standing in samabhanga on a later lotus base, with eight arms extended in various mudras or holding an attribute, wearing a dhoti, jewellery and a trailing scarf, the principal hands held in anjalimudra before the chest, the faces with serene expressions apart from the one head with fierce expression, 18 cm high overall, the eleven headed Avalokitesvara is an esoteric form of the Bodhisattva, believed to have overcome eleven hardships in order to attain Buddhahood. Another explanation is that Avalokistesvara fails to fulfil his vow of saving all sentient souls from hell and his head splits into one hundred pieces. Amitabha Buddha gathered up the pieces and consolidated them into ten heads crowning them with one of his own to show that Amitabha is always there to aid him in his goal of universal salvation, Compare with a figure without a stand, sold Christie's, Paris, June 9 2021, lot 57; a larger figure and stand sold, Sotheby's Australia, Sydney, 24 October 2014, lot 50
Estimate:
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Price:
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Category:
Unclassified