Serene Polychrome Guanyin

The serene features and modest pose suit this rendering of Guanyin, often called the “Goddess of Mercy”. She is what’s known in Buddhism as a bodhisattva: someone who has reached enlightenment but has chosen to stay in the world to help others. This early 20th century figure was finely carved with robes that drape and flow—the traces of red, green and blue gesso were once brilliant but have faded with time, adding to the goddesses’ mystery and character.