Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva 観音菩薩立像かんのんぼさつりゅうぞう

Description

Since the Asuka period (592–710), various Buddhist statues were created and worshipped in Japan. Statues of Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteśvara), particularly those of the Eleven-headed Kannon (Ekadasamukha Avalokiteśvara) were the most popular since he was believed to relieve sufferings such as diseases and disasters. In every region and time, there are many known statues of Kannon Bosatsu and eleven-headed Kannon, and they became popular objects of worship. This image is said to have been the main image of Kanno-ji temple. The temple was founded by Ichien (803–67), a priest of Daian-ji temple in Nara, on the western bank of the Kamo river in Kyoto in the Jogan era (859–77). During the late Heian period, many aristocracies visited Kanno-ji temple to worship this image. Around its topknot, there are traces of diminutive faces attached. This indicates that the statue was originally an eleven-headed Kannon. When Kanno-ji temple was destroyed by a fire in 1531, this image was relocated to Seiwa-in temple. In the early modern times, the statue again began to attract worshippers as one of the thirty-three Kannon in Kyoto. This statue has features typical of the single block works of the early Heian period. A single block of Japanese nutmeg (kaya nucifera) is used for the entire body, from the top of the head to the foot tenons. The statue is solid without interior hollowing. Although the statue now stands with the tenons attached to the pedestal, the statue and the pedestal were originally carved from the same piece of wood. The statue has a thick lower body with long legs. Gently twisting his waist, Avalokiteśvara steps slightly forward with his right leg. The sash and skirt-like garment have rolling-wave drapery pleats comprising of large, round wave-like curves and small ridged curves carved in an alternating pattern. These waves have a simple and organized design. The tight and elastic body resembles those of the seated Nyoirin-kannon (Cintāmanicakra) in Kanshin-ji temple in Ōsaka and the seated statues of Godai-kokuzo-bosatsu (Akasagarbha) in Jingo-ji temple in Kyoto, both produced during the Jōwa era (834–48). However, the fine-featured face and sophisticated rolling-wave drapery pleats imply that this statue was produced during the late 9th century. This is a masterpiece of the early Heian period, when Buddhist sculpture arts reached its climax.