Antique Chinese Guanyin – Polychrome Wood – Qing Dynasty, 18th–19th Century – 72.5 cm

Antique Chinese Guanyin – Polychrome Wood – Qing Dynasty, 18th–19th Century

Origin: China
Period: Qing dynasty
Date: ca. 1750–1850
Material: hand-carved wood with historic polychromy
Subject: Guanyin / Avalokiteshvara
Posture: relaxed bodhisattva seat, related to royal-ease imagery
Dimensions: H 72.5 × W 42 cm
Weight: 7.6 kg
SKU: 820

A devotional figure, not merely decoration

The construction, surviving paint and long pattern of wear point to a figure made for religious use. Guanyin was not simply meant to be looked at; she embodied compassion, protection and spiritual presence within a domestic altar or temple setting.

Detachable hands and a possible protective function

Both hands were carved separately and secured with pinned joints. In Chinese devotional sculpture, detachable components could in some contexts be carried independently as protective travel objects while the principal image remained in its shrine. This specific use cannot be proven for the present figure without provenance, but the construction is entirely compatible with such a practice.

Interior cavity

An opening in the underside gives access to the hollow interior. Comparable religious sculptures could contain prayers, paper texts, relics or other consecration material. The original contents, if any, are no longer known, but the feature is consistent with ritual use.

A surface shaped by time

Traces of blue-green, reddish-brown and cream pigment survive beneath fine craquelure and extensive wear. Old shrinkage cracks, open joints and local losses remain visible. Rather than diminishing the sculpture, these features form part of its devotional history and give it a strong, lived-in presence.

Iconography

The high coiffure and crown, bodhisattva jewellery, elongated earlobes and gentle expression strongly support an identification as Guanyin, the Chinese form of Avalokiteshvara. A small Amitabha emblem appears to be incorporated into the coiffure. The raised right hand suggests a teaching gesture, while the lower left hand opens in a giving gesture.

Condition

Good antique condition with clear age-related and devotional wear: losses to polychromy, old shrinkage cracks, open joins and local material loss. The hands are separately pinned in place. Please consult the detailed photographs for condition.

Each object is examined before it is offered: material, casting or carving technique, surface, and signs of age are compared with documented references. You will receive a certificate of authenticity and an official invoice detailing the period, material, and available provenance.

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