Bodhisattva Guanyin in the Form of the Buddha Mother
In Esoteric Buddhism, the Buddha is understood as having been born of the Law, which is regarded, therefore, as the Buddha Mother. This image depicts the Esoteric manifestation of Guanyin (Avalokiteshvara, in Sanskrit) as the Buddha Mother, a deity with multiple arms and a third "all-seeing" eye. In Chen Hongshou's interpretation, however, the Buddha Mother does not appear as a formidable incarnation of scripture but as a winsome young woman. Her unruly hairdo and the unconventional gesture of clutching strands of hair in her mouth may derive from heroines of contemporary popular theater rather than Buddhist iconography.
This large-scale example of Chen Hongshou's early figure style is a rare complement to the small-scale figures in his early album paintings and woodblock prints. At this enlarged scale, Chen Hongshou's technique and idiosyncratic stylistic sources become readily apparent. His relaxed and fluid drapery lines do not follow the disciplined brush mannerisms of literati models but instead are derived from popular paintings and woodblock prints.
This large-scale example of Chen Hongshou's early figure style is a rare complement to the small-scale figures in his early album paintings and woodblock prints. At this enlarged scale, Chen Hongshou's technique and idiosyncratic stylistic sources become readily apparent. His relaxed and fluid drapery lines do not follow the disciplined brush mannerisms of literati models but instead are derived from popular paintings and woodblock prints.
Artwork Details
- 明 陳洪綬 準提佛母法像圖 軸
- Title: Bodhisattva Guanyin in the Form of the Buddha Mother
- Artist: Chen Hongshou (Chinese, 1598/99–1652)
- Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
- Date: dated 1620
- Culture: China
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 49 1/4 x 19 1/16 in. (125.1 x 48.4 cm)
Overall with mounting: 96 3/4 x 24 9/16 in. (245.7 x 62.4 cm)
Overall with knobs: 96 3/4 x 28 1/2 in. (245.7 x 72.4 cm) - Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 1992
- Object Number: 1992.197
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Chen Hongshou
Chen Hongshou
Chen Hongshou
1633
Chen Hongshou
mid-17th century
Chen Hongshou
20th century
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.