獅吼觀音菩薩|Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara of the Lion's Roar, or Simhanada Avalokiteshvara (Shi Hou Guanyin)

Unknown

late 15th–early 17th century · Wood (poplar) with pigment; single-woodblock construction · Asian Art

Avalokiteshvara (the Bodhisattva of Compassion) and Manjushri (the Bodhisattva of Wisdom) are identifiable by the fact that both, at times, appear atop lions. As such, they are said to assume the form of Simhanada, or the Lion's Roar, which is a reference to the intensity of the moment of enlightenment. Here, the lion's recumbent pose and the bodhisattva's sidewise posture suggest that this sculpture represents Simhanada Avalokiteshvara, although the headdress does not bear the image of a seated Buddha, which is Avalokiteshvara's standard identifying attribute. Depictions of Simhanada Avalokiteshvara developed in India around the eleventh or twelfth century and appeared in China during the twelfth.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 15th–early 17th century

Medium

Wood (poplar) with pigment; single-woodblock construction

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Purchase, The Dillon Fund Gift, in honor of Brooke Astor, 2000