Bodhisattva Guanyin

Bodhisattva Guanyin

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Downcast eyes and clasped hands impart a serene quality to this intimately scaled Guanyin. A dated inscription on silk found in the sculpture’s interior reveals that it was commissioned in 1624 by a devotee named Wang Shichun and his wife, surnamed Li. Like many in premodern China, they turned to Guanyin for help; this sculpture allowed them to venerate the bodhisattva daily, in their home.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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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.