Bodhisattva; China, Song dynasty (960-1279).

Bodhisattva; China, Song dynasty (960-1279).
Stucco.
Certificate attached.
Presents losses of polychrome, faults and restoration on the neck.
Measurements: 66 x 28 x 19 cm.
Bodhisattva, central figure of Mahayana Buddhism, made in China during the Song dynasty (960-1279). The figure is standing, with his hands joined in a gesture of reverence or añjali mudr?, expression of devotion and compassion. His serene face, with soft and rounded features, conveys a sense of inner peace and benevolence, characteristic features of Song art, which sought to capture inner enlightenment rather than outer majesty.
The treatment of the robes is one of the most notable elements: the tunics fall in wide and fluid folds, which envelop the body with naturalness and movement, achieving a balance between the material weight of the clay and the spiritual lightness of the character. The remains of polychrome, soft tones in ochre, pink and greenish, suggest the original chromatic richness and attention to detail that defined the devotional sculptures in Buddhist temples and caves. The arrangement of the canvases, with their undulating edges and enveloping volumes, recalls the sculptural traditions of the Tang and Liao dynasties, but in the Song work they take on a more intimate, introspective and humanized character.
The Bodhisattva, an enlightened being who renounces nirvana to help others attain salvation, symbolizes universal compassion, the guiding principle of Mahayana Buddhism. In this representation, his serene posture and restrained expression reflect the internalized spirituality of Song art, which moves away from the drama and monumentality of previous eras to focus on meditation, calm and the humanity of divinity.
The Song Empire, ruled by the dynasty of the same name, were the first to use paper money, to establish a permanent navy and to use gunpowder. In art, it stood out for its classicism, which embraced all means of expression, giving rise to works as appreciated as outstanding celadons (created more for contemplation than for use) and to important advances in landscape and portraiture. The importance of the arts is attributed by some experts to the interest of the nobility in occupying their time in some of them (calligraphy, poetry and painting, mainly). It is also worth mentioning the period's lacquers, stone and wood carvings, stone and metal works, etc.