Guanyin Buddha Statue in Boxwood

Description

Fine-grained and pale, the wood carries a warmth that stone never quite achieves, each surface smooth under the fingertip and each carved line precise enough to trace with a fingernail.

Guanyin, known as Guanshiyin Pusa in Mandarin, Kwun Yum in Hong Kong, Kannon in Japan, and Kuan Eim in Thailand, is the Bodhisattva of Compassion and one of the most widely venerated figures in Mahayana Buddhism. The name translates roughly as ‘one who perceives the sounds of the world,’ understood as the cries of those who suffer. Depicted across thousands of years of art in East and Southeast Asia, Guanyin is shown here standing on a lotus flower, a reference to the Lotus Sutra, one of the central texts of Mahayana teaching.

This statue is carved from boxwood, a dense, fine-grained hardwood prized by Chinese and Japanese carvers for its consistent texture and its ability to hold sharp detail over time. Boxwood does not crack or warp readily, and its pale, warm tone deepens with age and handling. The carving is executed by hand, with the lotus base, the standing figure, and the drapery of the robes rendered from a single piece of wood.

Specific dimensions and weight have not been listed. Carved in China.

Boxwood carvings of this type are produced by artisans working within a tradition that spans several centuries. This statue is suitable for display in a home or as an object of personal devotion.