Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion

Cambodia or Thailand

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 248

Representing the great Khmer sculptural tradition, this statue merges divine power with royal likeness. While the body depicts a Buddhist savior, the face is thought to be a portrait of the Khmer ruler of twelfth-century Cambodia, Jayavarman VII (reigned 1181–1219). His closed eyes and serene smile suggest the inner calm 
and supreme bliss that accompany perfect enlightenment. Hewn from a single large block, the enormous figure was one of several that adorned a richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor.

Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, Stone, Cambodia or Thailand

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Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, Stone, Cambodia or Thailand
Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, Stone, Cambodia or Thailand
Standing Eight-Armed Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Infinite Compassion, Stone, Cambodia or Thailand

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