Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)

Object Details

• Description

  Dedication image, of Guanyin.

  Surface: brown patina and traces of gilding.

  Inscription.

• Inscriptions

  The inscription, around the two sides of the lower dais, is as follows: "K'ai-huang shih-chiu-nien ssu-yueh nien-san-jih Lo Yun ching-tsao Kuah-shih-yin hsiang i-ch'u wai shang kuo fu mu t'o-sheng hsi-fang ho-chia ta-shao i-shih ch'eng fo" [Chn]. It can be translated: "On the 23rd day of the 4th month in the 19th year of K'ai-huang [May 23rd, 599], disciple Lo Yun respectfully had one statue of the image of Kuan-shih-yin made on behalf of his deceased parents [in the hope that they may] find refuge in the Western [Paradise], and on behalf of all members of his family [in the hope that they all may] attain Buddhahood at the same time."

• Provenance

  To 1911

  Kita Toranosuke, Kyoto, to 1911 [1]

  From 1911 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Kita Toranosuke in 1911 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] See Original Bronze List, S.I. 296, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [2] See note 1.

  [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Previous custodian or owner

  Kita Toranosuke (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Sculpture

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  500s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Kita, Toranosuke

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Gilding, Bronze, Sui dynasty (581 - 618), Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Avalokite?svara (Buddhist deity), Bodhisattva, Lettering, Metal-work, Guanyin

• Culture

  Buddhists, Chinese

• Object Type

  Sculpture