Antique Chinese Qing Bronze Lotus Guan Yin Bodhisattva of Compassion Statue 蓮花觀音

Antique Chinese Bronze Buddha Statue
Guan Yin 蓮花觀音
Bodhisattva of Compassion on Lotus
Circa: Late Qing-Republic, early 20th Century
H 18 in. (45cm), W 7 in. (18cm), D 5 in. (12.5cm)
Condition: minor abrasions, overall very good!

A Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion, Guan Yin, with eyes downcast in meditation, hands locked in anjali mudra concealed inside long sleeves with a gesture of offering and salutation for all sentient beings. As a symbol of purity rose from the mire, she stands above a large aqueous lotus leaf, wearing an elongated voluminous robe delineated with long drawn folded pleats, which falls and flows like silk cloth upon the lotus flower pedestal, encompassing the figure in a graceful contour with perfect harmony.

Cast with exceptional skill in heavy bronze, the statue has been polished to a silken surface and mellowed to an aged dark patina. The viswa-vajra seal on the copper base plate indicated the Tibetan influence that penetrated China during the Qing period. To better apprehend its unique beauty, the design and symmetry of this bronze Guan Yin is thoroughly Chinese in origin.