Crowned, Holding a Lotus

Viewing notes

A viewer's written impression — not a buyer review or first-hand record

This standing bodhisattva in a warm wood tone holds a single long lotus stem. A golden crown sits above blue hair that falls to the shoulders, and behind the figure rises a pointed aureole carved all over with curling clouds. The golden lotus stem crosses the body in a long diagonal from the right hand, steadied by the left, its bloom and bud lifted high beside the shoulder in a flash of gold. The chest is bare beneath a golden beaded necklace; a sash is tied in a bow at the waist, and the long skirt falls in layered folds that break into small wave-like ripples at the feet. Two tiers of full, rounded lotus petals form the throne, set on an octagonal plinth carved with flowers. The honeyed wood tone stays mellow throughout, with gold reserved for crown, necklace and lotus — drawing the eye steadily to that slanting stem. Upright yet at ease, it suits enshrinement in a shrine or the principal position in a hall, carrying its own clear, quiet air.