Guanyin seated. China, late Qing dynasty - Republican period, late 19th - early 20th century.

Guanyin seated. China, late Qing dynasty - Republican period, late 19th - early 20th century.
Cast bronze
Measurements: 18 x 10 x 7 cm.

The figure of Guanyin appears seated in meditation posture on a double lotus pedestal. His right hand is raised holding a willow branch -symbol of healing and compassion- while in the left hand he holds a vase (kundika), associated with the pouring of the nectar of compassion. On the crown appears a small effigy of the Buddha Amitabha, identifying the figure as Guanyin within the Mahayana Buddhist tradition.

The style of the face, the treatment of the robes and the lotus pedestal are consistent with domestic devotional bronzes produced in southern China.