The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 21, 2025

Seated Guanyin

c. 1450

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)
gilt bronze
Overall: 22.1 x 16.7 cm (8 11/16 x 6 9/16 in.)
Worcester R. Warner Collection 1916.19
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

There are clusters of blossoming lotuses by the figure's shoulders.

Description

A heavily jeweled Guanyin sits in the posture of royal ease on a double-lotus throne. Also known as Avalokitesvara or the Bodhisattava of Compassion, Guanyin postponed achieving enlightenment in order to assist all who cry out for help. This made Guanyin a very popular devotional figure for Buddhists. This gilt bronze's size suggests that it could have been placed on a private altar or shrine for personal devotion.
  • ?–1916
    Worcester R. Warner [1846–1929], Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1916–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Lerner, Martin. “An ‘International Style’ Wooden Mandala.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 58, no. 9 (November 1971): 269–275. Reproduced: p. 274, fig. 8 www.jstor.org
    Schroeder, Ulrich von. Indo-Tibetan Bronzes. 1st ed. Hong Kong, Glattbrugg, Switzerland: Visual Dharma Publications; Sole distributor, Nanda Distribution, 1981. Mentioned: p. 530, no. 151F; Reproduced: p. 531, no. 151F
    Guo li gu gong bo wu yuan 國立故宮博物院. Hai wai yi zhen. fo xiang [海外遺珎. 佛像= Chinese art in overseas collections. Buddhist sculpture]. Taibei Shi: Guo li gu gong bo wu yuan, 1990. Reproduced: p. 188
  • {{cite web|title=Seated Guanyin|url=false|author=|year=c. 1450|access-date=21 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.19