Lot 1
Ming Wood Guanyin in Lalitsana - Water-Moon Form
Ming Wood Guanyin in Lalitsana - Water-Moon Form
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East Asia, China, late Ming Dynasty, ca. 16th to 17th century CE. A vision of compassion carved in stillness, this large painted wood sculpture portrays Guanyin seated in the posture of royal ease, or lalitasana, on a craggy rock pedestal that evokes her sacred grotto on Mount Putuo. Carved during the Ming dynasty, when Guanyin's cult flourished across the Chinese empire, the figure embodies serenity, enlightenment, and divine benevolence. With one leg pendant and the other raised, her left arm extends behind to brace her body while her right hand rests atop her knee, palm relaxed and fingers elegantly unfurled. The carving radiates softness in her bowed head and contemplative expression, with downcast almond-shaped eyes, arched brows, and a closed, tranquil mouth. Her diadem is centered with a small image of Amitabha Buddha, Guanyin's spiritual progenitor in the Pure Land tradition, surrounded by stylized clouds and scrollwork. Size: 15" L x 21" W x 36.3" H (38.1 cm x 53.3 cm x 92.2 cm)
Her long hair flows in knotted braids over the shoulders, partially concealed beneath voluminous robes that fall in rhythmic folds, revealing blue pigment across the legs and an ornate jeweled necklace at her chest.
In most Asian cultures, Guanyin is the most widely venerated bodhisattva after the Buddha himself. Her name in Chinese means "She Who Hears the Cries of the World," reflecting her vow to delay entering nirvana in order to assist all sentient beings on their path to enlightenment. Originally the Indian male deity Avalokitesvara ("He Who Hears the Sounds"), Guanyin's transformation into a female figure in China by the Tang and Song periods created a maternal protector with powers to aid childbirth, soothe suffering, and grant mercy to all who call upon her.
Her popularity surged during the Ming dynasty, when Buddhist texts, temple carvings, and household icons spread her image across the land. As Water-Moon Guanyin, seated in the Moonlit Grotto, she personified the tranquil perfection of enlightened compassion. In the Pure Land Buddhist tradition, Guanyin and Amitabha together guide souls to the Western Paradise, a place of radiant lotus blooms. The lotus also serves as the test of the soul: the worthy arrive upon an open blossom, the unready on a closed bud, destined to return to earth and try again.
The pose of lalitasana, or rajalilasana, emphasizes her spiritual authority and royal grace. Reserved for Buddhas and bodhisattvas, the posture signifies sovereignty over both material and spiritual realms. The figure's scale, detail, and remnants of pigment suggest this sculpture once stood in a temple setting, likely placed in a side shrine or inner hall dedicated to Guanyin's miraculous intercessions. A poignant survivor from a period of devout resurgence, this Water-Moon Guanyin bridges worlds - carved in wood yet carved with the promise of celestial mercy.
Historically, carved figural statues held profound cultural and religious significance in China, serving not merely as decoration but as vital conduits for spiritual inspiration, solace, and ancestral veneration. These sacred objects populated homes, clan halls, temples, and public spaces, where altars and shrines honored familial ancestors and a pantheon of deities. The size and opulence of these dedicated spaces reflected a family's standing, with even modest homes featuring altars for expressing Confucian piety through ancestor worship. Wealthier families often dedicated entire rooms to elaborate shrines, housing images and ancestor tablets - inscribed placards acting as spiritual seats for the deceased, sometimes even found in temple halls where monks offered prayers for their well-being in the afterlife.
Central to imbuing these carvings with spiritual potency was the "eye opening ceremony," a consecration ritual performed by a senior priest or monk. This process, involving practices like dotting the eyes with cinnabar, pricking them, or anointing them with liquids, was believed to awaken the statue's senses, enabling it to perceive and respond to devotees' prayers. Before this ritual, a cavity carved into the statue's back was filled with sacred documents, a dated paper script honoring the donors and commemorating the event, prayers, and symbolic items representing inner organs, then sealed. The completed, veiled statue was then solemnly carried to the temple for the complex consecration, a communal event believed to imbue the inert carving with life force (chi or qi) and invite the deity's spirit to reside within.
Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection, acquired from 1990 - 2005
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#193613
- Condition: Missing forefinger on right hand. Professionally repaired with some break lines visible and stable fissures to wood in areas. Nicks, chips, and abrasions as well as areas of old, inactive insect damage, all commensurate with age. Areas of repainting. Otherwise, nice detail and rich patina.
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