China, Tang dynasty (618–907) / late 600s
Eleven-Headed Guanyin
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Eleven-Headed Guanyin as sculpture (China, Tang dynasty (618–907) · late 600s).
The sculpture was made of different types of wood with different grain sizes and patterns, which are connected with wood pegs and glue.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this sculpture as wood.
The museum's collection notes: Guanyin, the bodhisattva of infinite compassion, can be identified by his attributes, carrying a tiny Amida Buddha in his crown, and holding a bottle with the nectar of life in his left hand. The eleven-headed Guanyin, in particular, has his eyes and ears open in all directions to hear, see, and help all those who are in distress. The garment and jewelry of this graceful figure remind us that the historic Buddha Shakyamuni was originally an Indian prince before he reached enlightenment. Upon his death, he entered nirvana, an eternal state free of desire and suffering, outside the realm of birth, death, and rebirth. The dating and attribution
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtEleven-Headed GuanyinOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.