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Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara

second half of the 7th–early 8th century
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Among the most beautiful images of the Avalokiteshvara from all of Southeast Asia, this savior stands on a pair of lotus blooms, his eyes downcast as he extends grace to devotees. He wears an elaborate diadem with the Amitabha Buddha prominently displayed. His left hand holds a lotus bud, evoking Padmapani, the lotus bearer, and his right holds an ascetic’s water vessel (kamandalu). Stylistically, the figure relates to the pre-Angkorian center of Phnom Da, southern Cambodia. The discovery of this major icon in the Mekong Delta serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of religious centers and their workshop practices during this period.

cat. no. 137

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara
  • Date: second half of the 7th–early 8th century
  • Culture: Southern Vietnam
  • Medium: Sandstone
  • Dimensions: H. 74 in. (188 cm); W. 19 5/16 in. (49 cm); D. 11 7/16 in. (29 cm); Wt. 446 lbs (202.3 kg)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Lent by Musée National des Arts Asiatiques–Guimet, Paris (MA5063)
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art