Click image to view full screen
Eleven-Headed Guanyin
✓ Authenticity guarantee · ✓ Specialist condition report · ✓ Insured worldwide shipping · ✓ Private-room viewing
The bodhisattva is an enlightened being dedicated to the spiritual awakening of all beings. The compassionate bodhisattva Guanyin, in a variety of manifestations, is probably the most popular deity of worship in Chinese Buddhism. In the Esoteric Buddhist form shown here, this standing Guanyin has a total of eleven heads, with smaller ones above the principal head. The uppermost head represents the Buddha Amitabha, to whom he is closely related. The eleven heads symbolize the Buddha’s steps on the path to enlightenment.
| Artist / Maker | Anonymous, late Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) – Jin dynasty (1115-1234) |
|---|---|
| Date | 1100–1200 |
| Culture / Origin | China, late Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) - Jin dynasty (1115-1234) |
| Medium | wood with polychromy and cut gold |
| Dimensions | Overall: 218.5 cm (86 in.) |
| Department | Chinese Art |
| Type | Sculpture |
About the Artist
Provenance & Source
Image & data: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0 / Public Domain.
Condition
A detailed condition report and high-resolution photography are available from our specialists in advance of the sale.
Shipping & Collection
Fine-art shipping with climate control and full insurance to over 120 countries; collection by appointment.
Buying at Matchless Pieces
Register, verify your identity, and bid online or in a private room. Buyer’s premium and taxes are shown before you confirm.
You May Also Like
Anonymous, late Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) – Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
Saucer: Northern Celadon Ware, Yaozhou type
Anonymous, late Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) – Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
Streams and Mountains without End
Anonymous, late Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) – Jin dynasty (1115-1234)
Seated Guanyin