Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara - Bronze - China - 20th century

Height 35 cm with the flame. Weight 700 g. This object is a portable Buddhist bronze altar, gilded in gold, modeled on the classical style of Chinese sacred art from the Tang Dynasty (618–907 AD) or the late Northern and Southern Dynasties period. It depicts the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (known in China as Guanyin) — characterized by a slender silhouette (tribhanga), draped robes with long sinuous ribbons (tennai), and a four-legged pedestal surmounted by a lotus bud. The rear perforated element shaped like a leaf or flame is the almond-shaped halo (or full aureole), representing the spiritual light emanating from the deity and bearing small incised details of flames and tiny figures of reincarnated Buddhas (manushi). This piece is designed to fit into the back of the main statuette, via the dedicated pin visible on the sculpture’s back for insertion. The surface shows clear traces of the original fire gilding underneath, partially covered by a widespread green patina (copper oxidation) and earthy sediments that typically accumulate on ancient bronzes or archaizing pieces. I tested the green encrustations with a nail and they are hard and crystallized. I added water and there were no chemical smells, but of dust.