Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Guanyin)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

It is rare to find a sculpture of Avalokiteshvara seated with his legs folded as if in meditation. He is most often shown standing or seated with one leg bent and the other pendent—a pose known as “royal ease.” One exception is when Avalokiteshvara appears in scenes of the Pure Land of the Buddha Amitabha. It is possible that this sculpture was part of such a composition.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art