観音菩薩立像|The Bodhisattva Kannon (Avalokiteshvara)

Unknown

mid-11th century · Cypress wood; single-block construction (ichiboku-zukuri) · Asian Art

Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, is one of the most popular and frequently depicted deities in Japanese Buddhism. Kannon grants deliverance from suffering to anyone who calls upon him. Here, he is shown in flowing robes draped with sashes. The sculpture’s surface was originally decorated with layers of lacquer, pigments, and likely gold leaf. Today, its cypress core is completely visible.

Artist

Unknown

Date

mid-11th century

Medium

Cypress wood; single-block construction (ichiboku-zukuri)

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, Bequest of Mary Stillman Harkness, by exchange; Bequest of Henrie Jo Barth; and funds from various donors, 2021