YUAN DYNASTY, EARLY 14TH CENTURY Himalayan Art Resources item no.4506 12.7 cm (5 in.) highFootnotes元 十四世紀初 銅鎏金四臂觀音像 Shadakshari Lokeshvara is a four-armed manifestation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, personifying the well-known Buddhist mantra 'om mani padme hum' ('homage to the Jewel-Lotus One'). This small, sweet figure represents the deity with a joyful facial expression and abundant ornamentation. The bodhisattva holds his primary hands in anjali mudra, blessing the viewer. His raised secondary hands wield a mala and a lotus. His elaborate belt is particularly beautiful at the back, with a symmetrical array of beaded tassels, each with a prominent jewel finial. Many stylistic elements are consistent with Chinese bronzes produced during the Yuan dynasty, which drew inspiration from Nepalese and Tibetan sculptural traditions. The broad lotus petals with double-incised edges are closely related to a Yuan bronze Maitreya published in Bigler, Art and Faith at the Crossroads, 2013, pp.46-7, no.15. The figure's slender physique is also congruent with an early 14th-century bronze Manjushri seen in Bigler, Before Yongle, 2015, pp.108-9, no.25. Also compare the crown leaves, belt, and lotus petals to a gilt-bronze Green Tara published in ibid., pp.84-7, no.19. Provenance: Private Swiss Collection