Figure
Category
Ceramics
Date
1660 - 1699
Materials
porcelain
Measurements
270 x 80 x 60 mm
Place of origin
Dehua
Order this imageCollection
Wallington, Northumberland
NT 581857
Summary
Figure of Guanyin, porcelain, the standing female figure has her hair upswept in a top knot, she wears voluminous robes open to reveal her jewelled necklace, her left hand raises the him of her robe, the other hand is held out, she is raised on a base moulded with waves, made in Dehua, Fujian province, China, 1660–1699; press-moulded, undecorated, covered with a clear glaze.
Full description
Guanyin 觀音 is a bodhisattva, a figure in Buddhism who has achieved spiritual enlightenment but who remains in the mortal realm to help others. In Chinese folk belief Guanyin was seen as a goddess of mercy and was thought to be able to ensure the birth of healthy children (McArthur 2002). Although originally made for the Chinese market and intended for religious worship, representations of Buddhist figures in Dehua porcelain were also exported to Europe from the seventeenth century onwards.In nineteenth century, these white wares were described as 'blanc de Chine'.
Provenance
Gift from Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan 3rd Bt