Fine Chinese Stucco Head of Bodhisattva Southern Dynasties

Description

On offer is a fine Bodhisattva head made of stucco around a wood core circa 6th century AD. The fragment … more On offer is a fine Bodhisattva head made of stucco around a wood core circa 6th century AD. The fragment was part of high-relief wall sculpture based on its construction. The frontal and the side of the head have been largely preserved in excellent condition. The top and the back of the head lost the stucco coating, exposing the nearly petrified wood core and the remnant of mud layer.
The Bodhisattva depicted is likely to be Avalokitesvara, known as Guan Yin or Goddess of Mercy in Mahayana Buddhism in China. She was widely worshiped after the Buddhism spread and established in the Far East. The style of the head is distinguished with an elongated thin face and Chinese feature: long and upturned eye lids, thin nose bridge and petal like lips. The finely molded face with downcast eyes exudes a strong sense of compassion and calmness. This style is associated with the Sothern dynasties during the period of Northern and Southern Dynasties (386 to 589AD). When the robust physicality of the Buddhism iconography influenced by India and Central Asia subtly gave away to more thinner and softer Chinese characteristic. The image here was likely created in one of the later Southern Dynasties such as Liang (502–557AD), Chen (557–589AD).
The piece is fitted with a wood dowel onto a custom made stand. The head itself is 11.5 inches. With the base, the piece is 22.5inches. From a US collection. less