Bodhisattva Padmapani (Avalokiteshvara; Japanese, Kannon), from Kôfukuji
Japanese
Description
Sho ̄ Kannon
(Avalokiteshvara)
Japan
Heian period (794–1185)
12th century
Wood with trace of color
Museum purchase made possible
by the Margaret Watson Parker Art
Collection Fund, 1969/1.106
This sculpture of Sho ̄ Kannon, the bodhisattva
of compassion (Korean: Kwan-um; Chinese:
Gwanyin; Sanskrit: Avalokiteshvara) was produced
as part of a set of one thousand sculptures and
dedicated to the powerful temple of Ko ̄fuku-ji in
Nara. The production of large groups of Buddhist
sculptures was a common practice among the
social elite of the Heian period, and the creation
of multiple images of Kannon was believed to
increase the divinity’s powers of salvation. Within
this monumental sculptural production, each
image of Sho ̄ Kannon was individualized with
different faces and postures.
Kannon remains one of the most popular
bodhisattvas in Japanese Buddhism and is
believed to have various, often visually dramatic,
manifestations. Sho ̄ Kannon, who takes a
recognizably human form, is one of the most
generic. Originally this figure would have held
an unopened lotus bud, which represents
purity, in his left hand.
Subject Matter:
The standing figure shown here is identified as Kannon, a Bodhisattva associated with compassion and one of the most popular deities in the Buddhist pantheon. This icon originally belonged to the temple of Kôfukuji, a prominent temple in Japan during the Nara (710–794) period. In this example, Kannon appears before us with a tranquil look upon his face, a subtle allusion to his role as a compassionate deity. His right hand is raised in the abhaya mudra– a gesture symbolizing protection. His left hand is slightly extended in front of his abdomen, as if to offer up an object (now lost), such as a jar of ointment. This figure of Kannon has been executed in a simplified yet refined style, wherein a restrained approach to surface detail is balanced against the decision to expose and foreground the wood’s natural grain.
Physical Description:
This figure of Kannon Buddha stands upon a lotus pedestal. Kannon’s hair is arranged into a top knot and topped with a crown. His ears are elongated, and his gaze is cast downward. A thin robe gathering into a prominent u-shape at the knees is draped over his sloping shoulders. His right hand is raised to his chest, while his left hand extends slightly in front of his abdomen.
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