Guanyin, China, Shanxi, 12th century, painted and gilded wood, h 117.0cm × w 111.0cm × d 74.0cm. Courtesy Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam.

Detail. Photo © Alain R. Truong

Here the Buddhist deity Guanyin, saviour of people in peril, is represented meditating on a rock. According to legend, she was once found in this position, meditating on the reflection of the moon in water, a symbol of illusion and transience in Buddhism. His pose and face embody inner peace and concentration.