17 juillet 2023
Bodhisattva, 10th century, Liao Dynasty (907-1125) or Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127)
Bodhisattva, 10th century, Liao Dynasty (907-1125) or Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). Wood (willow) with traces of paint, stone: 152.4 × 41 × 26 cm). Gift of Charles H. Ludington from the George Crofts Collection, 1925, 1925-53-10. © 2023 Philadelphia Museum of Art.
It is likely this serene bodhisattva was made for a Buddhist temple in northern China. It probably flanked a large Buddha statue set against a mural painting depicting paradise.
Sculpted in high relief, the deity has inlaid glazed ceramic eyes and traces of its original brightly colored painted decoration and gilding. It also has a cavity in its back that would have been filled with devotional items. Meant to ensure the potency of the statue, the holy offerings included prayers and colored stones representing the heart and other organs.
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