Skip to Main Content

Bodhisattva Guanyin of the South Sea

南海觀音

1600s
(1644-1911)
Porcelain with white glaze, Dehua ware
Overall: 45.2 cm (17 13/16 in.)
The Norweb Collection 1950.579
Location: 240A Chinese Paintings and Calligraphy
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

When Marco Polo visited China in the late 1200s, he was so impressed by the Dehua kilns that he included lengthy descriptions of ceramic production in his chronicle of his journey.

Description

Guanyin, the Buddhist bodhisattva of infinite compassion (Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit), is the most revered enlightened being in East Asia. The bodhisattva perceives all beings in need of help and reveals himself in many forms. Here, his elaborate lotus pedestal rests on the crest of surging waves, identifying him as Guanyin of the South Seas. The Dehua kilns in Fujian province in southern China produced white porcelain figures for both the domestic and export markets. In China, such a figure may have furnished a house altar or a temple.
Bodhisattva Guanyin of the South Sea

Bodhisattva Guanyin of the South Sea

1600s

China, Fujian Province, Ming dynasty (1368-1644) - Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

See Also

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.