132 - Guanyin; Japan, Meiji period, c. 1910.

Guanyin; Japan, Meiji period, c. 1910. Hand-painted porcelain. Measurements: 26 x 18 x 14 cm. Round sculpture made of hand painted and enameled porcelain. The piece represents a seated young woman, richly dressed and carrying a scroll in her hand. It is the representation of "Guanyin", which is the name given in China to the Avalokitevara bodhisattva divinity venerated in Buddhism. This bodhisattva is associated with compassion, and his name has the etymological root Guan Shì Yin, which means "he who hears the lamentations of the world". In popular belief, Guanyin is a protective divinity, almost maternal, who comes to the rescue of those who invoke her in times of great danger, and for this reason numerous shrines have been dedicated to her. In the West, this figure has been associated with that of the ancient mother goddesses of the primitive religions of the Mediterranean arc.