Crowned Bearer of the Branch

Viewing notes

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

This polychrome standing bodhisattva wears his hair in a tall topknot, a red jewel set at the centre of his crown-cloth. His golden face is lowered in a gentle smile. The long robe is a deep blue verging on black, its borders rolled with green scrollwork traced in gold; a lotus-patterned sash crosses his chest and beaded ornaments hang to his belly. One hand, raised beside his shoulder, delicately holds a slender golden branch with fine drooping leaves; the other cradles a small golden gourd-shaped vessel before him. The drapery falls in layered folds that end in soft waves at the hem, and his feet stand on a great red-and-gold lotus pedestal. Dark robe, golden face and patient edging make a figure sumptuous yet quiet — for a shrine niche or a hall, rewarding a closer look at its patterning.