Painted banner of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, Late Tang dynasty-Early Five Dynasties period, circa 851-950. Ink and colour on hemp, 130 x 50 cm. Unearthed from the Library Cave 17 of Dunhuang. Acquisition 1919 (1919,0101,0.201) © The Trustees of British Museum, London.

Painting of Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara holding a vase and a flower, standing under a jewelled, floral canopy and with flowers in the background. Faded inscription in cartouche.

From Whitfield 1983:

In almost every way this banner presents a complete contrast with the painting of the preceding plate. The delicate fine are replaced by bold silhouettes, with flowers and twisting scarves filling the spaces round the figure. The figure itself is amply draped, and conventional schematic shading replaces flesh tones in the few parts where the arms of face are exposed. Details such as the delineation of the facial features suggest a date at the end of the ninth century.

The actual material, as well as the execution, is coarser than that of Pl. 38, but the natural colour of the hemp cloth in the broad border shows up the treatment of the main surface before the figure was painted; and the original hanging loops, through which a stick could have passed, are clearly visible at the top. Most of the larger paintings on hemp cloth, if not narrow banners with a triangular headpiece, were hung in this way, and so must have been the paintings on silk as well.

The inscription reads 南無延壽命救苦觀世音菩薩, “The Bodhisattva Guanshiyin who prolongs life and rescues from trouble”. The description matches the compassionate appearance of the Bodhisattva and both are evidence of his widespread popularity in the late Tang and Five Dynasties.