Ca. AD 1800 - 1900.
A seated four-armed manifestation of Avalokiesvara, also known as Shadakshari Lokeshvara. The figure is shown seated on a layer of finely curved lotus petals, referring to the belief that the god emerged from from a lotus bud rising from a lake of tears shed for the suffering. The tiara is elaborately decorated with semi-precious stone inlays, topped with a lion finial above the ushnisha knot. His hands are held in the anjali mudra, with his extended left arm holding a lotus stem and flower and his extended right arm holding a loop of japamala prayer beads. More inlays can be seen on the serene face, torso and arms.
Size: 225mm x 170mm; Weight: 1.68kg
Provenance: Property of a central London art gallery; previously in the private collection of Mr. R. Unger; acquired in the 1970s on the UK art market. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.