CHINE - Dynastie MING (1368 - 1644), XVIe/XVIIe siècle

Important wooden Guanyin with traces of lacquer, seated in padmasana, dressed in a monastic robe and adorned with jewelry. The left hand resting on her left knee, the right hand raised in karana mudra (gesture to repel evil spirits). (Cracks, missing parts, small restorations). H. 104 x 68 x 49 cm CIRAM carbon 14 test (n° 2303-OA-369) of April 20, 2023 confirming the dating. Provenance : Former Louis Decouz collection then Henri Moussard collection since the 1950s. Photo taken in Villers sur Mer in June 1959. From left to right : Louis Decouz, Monique Guyot d'Amfreville (his wife), Brigitte Moussard, Jean d'Amfreville (Monique's brother), seated on the ground: Gérard Decouz (son of Louis and Monique), from behind: Henri Moussard. Reference : A Guanyin with similar iconography dated from the Jin dynasty (1115-1234) kept in the Shanghai Museum. Guanyin is seated in padmasana (lotus position), her right hand raised in karana mudra, a gesture that repels evil spirits and breaks down obstacles, her left hand resting on her bent right knee. She is dressed in a pleated dhoti, tied under her belly and covering her legs. The monastic scarf placed on her shoulders reveals her torso adorned with a necklace decorated with flowers, to which responds a large necklace of pearls and flowers that decorates the folds of the garment on her legs. The serene face and the half-closed eyes refer to her meditative state, her mouth displays a slightly distant and placid pout. The fine strands of her hair are gathered back to form a high bun held by a ribbon in the center of which is a vase placed on a lotiform base. Originating in India, the cult of Guanyin appeared in China around the seventh century, first under his male aspect of Avalokiteshvara (name in Sanskrit). Guanyin, which can be translated as the one who perceives sounds, is the bodhisattva of compassion, a Buddhist deity who chooses to renounce his reincarnation to accompany the faithful in their own samsara. The Buddhist religion arrived in China at the beginning of our era and was quickly adopted for its exotic aspect. No comparable religion or deity existed in China at the time. The cult of Guanyin quickly gained great interest among the faithful and became one of the most popular bodhisattvas. As his cult developed, Guanyin's iconography changed from a male bodhisattva in the Tang period (618-907) to a deity depicted in female guise from the Song dynasty (960-1279). This change in gender is difficult to trace and, in addition to being a Chinese creation, does not seem to have a source in the canonical writings either. It does, however, appear to be related to the pilgrimages and miracle stories that spread throughout Chinese culture. The many aspects of Guanyin that developed then also reveal the domestication of her cult and its connection to specific places and local cults. Although her iconography became totally feminine from the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), some Buddhist clergy continued to represent her in male guise, giving her an androgynous aspect that is found here. A great spirituality emanates from the magnificent face of the bodhisattva as well as from her attitude of full meditation, intended to help the viewer to reach the same state of awakening, enlightenment and serenity. The splendor and beauty of this Guanyin reveals the importance of the creation of these sculptures and the considerable influence of the cult of this deity in China.