Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, 13th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Japanese cypress wood with lacquer, gold, and inlaid glassexpand_more
The Suzanne S. Roberts Fund for Asian Artexpand_more 2012.30a,b
Not on Viewexpand_more
This handsome, youthful male figure represents Kannon, a compassionate Buddhist deity who has forgone his own enlightenment in order to guide earthly beings along the Buddha path. In Japanese Buddhist art, Kannon takes various forms. Here, leaning forward with upturned, open hands, he is an attendant to Amida, a buddha who descends from the heavens to greet the faithful at the moment of their death and deliver them to paradise. This sculpture would have stood on an altar to the right of a larger sculpture of Amida. Kannon originally held a lotus pedestal (now missing) on which the dead were placed for their journey to paradise.
Details
- Title
- Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2012.30a,b
- Curator Approved
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