Korean School,Joseon Dynasty Seated Avalokitesvara (Suwol Gwaneum)Ink, color, and gold on silk27 x 16-1/2 inches (68.6 x 41.9 cm) (work)37 x 25 inches (94.0 x 38.1 cm) (frame) The painting depicts Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara (Korean: Suwol Dwaneum), a poplar subject in Korea during the late Goryeo Dynasty. Worshipped for her ability to prevent disaster and disease and protect travelers, Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara is depicted as a female deity, resplendently dressed with rosary beads in her hands and seated on Mount Potlaka above a body of water replete with coral and a lotus flower that supports her left foot. Her head and body are surrounded by a nimbus and a mandorla, signfying her divinity. Sudhana (Korean: Seonjae Dongja), the pilgrim boy, stands on an outcrop in the foreground in a pose of adoration.