Seated Willow Branch, Guanyin

China

14th century

  • Titles Seated Willow Branch, Guanyin (Title)
  • Artist China
  • Medium bronze, lacquer
  • Dimensions 18 1/4 x 11 1/2 x 8 1/2 in. (46.4 x 29.2 x 21.6 cm)
  • Credit Line Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Willey, 1978.101
  • Work Type sculpture
  • Classification Sculpture
  • On View

See More of the Collection

the standing Buddha Amida accompanied by a choir of 25 celestial attendants--flanked by Kannon and Seishi to welcome a dying individual to the Western Paradise—a Buddhist Pure Land where all will eventually attain enlightenment. The dynamic composition and large scale of the shrine (zushi) bring the full power of loving welcome to console the dying. This format became so popular it has its own name, raigō, denoting a welcoming descent. Two small sculptures of monks are placed on clouds in the interior, close to Amida. The gradient shading of gold on the left figure’s clothing signals this is Zendō (Ch. Shandao; 613–81), a 7th century Chinese monk, whose teachings were revived by the Japanese monk Hōnen Shonin Eden (1133–1212) as part of his founding of the Jōdo religious order. Hōnen is most likely the monk depicted on the right. The transmission of teachings across time and space from the 7th to the 12th century demonstrated in this shrine.
Slightly conical form with angular shoulder top with a dish mouth, supported on splayed footring; free of decoration, covered in whitish glaze; gritty footring from firing. Nice weight. Five glaze deposit spotting around shoulder.
Heavy gold loops that have a slit in them are at the top of the earrings. The slits would have allowed the wearer to slip them on their earlobes. Gold balls decorated with small gold suspended bangles form the center, with openwork gold heart-shaped pendants at the bottom. Granulation on finials with one finial bent.
Blue Iris, Possibly Kamisaka Sekka, ink and color on paper