Figure of Guanyin with impressed He Chaozong mark Chinese, Fujian province, Dehua, Ming dynasty (1368-1644)

Figure of Guanyin with impressed He Chaozong mark

觀音菩薩坐像

early 1600s

He Chaozong 何朝宗

(Chinese, active early 1600s)

Chinese, Fujian province, Dehua, Ming dynasty (1368-1644)

Glazed white porcelain, Dehua ware

Overall: 22.5 x 15.8 x 11.5 cm (8 7/8 x 6 1/4 x 4 1/2 in.)

The MCH Foundation, Inc. 18.2018

Location: On view at Hoam Museum of Art, Kyunggi-do, Mar 19, 2024 - Jun 23, 2024

This artwork is known to be under copyright.

Description

Guanyin, the bodhisattva of infinite compassion (Avalokiteshvara in Sanskrit), perceives all beings in need of help, and reveals himself in many forms; it is the most revered enlightened being in East Asia. Here, Guanyin is depicted as a woman seated on a rock island, holding a scroll—the symbol of knowledge—in her left hand.

The flow of the figure’s garment and the fine details reveal an exceptionally well-sculpted porcelain figure. This figure bears on its back the rare seal of the sculptor He Chaozong, who ranks among the best 17th-century potters from Dehua in Fujian Province. Dehua porcelain figures were produced for both the domestic and export markets. In China, such a figure may have furnished a house altar or the desk of a scholar.