A MARBLE HEAD OF AVALOKITESHVARA TANG DYNASTY |

sensitively carved as the sensuous full face of the Bodhisattava, portrayed with slender almost half-closed eyes beneath arched eyebrows exquisitely depicted with fluidly carved lines tapering at the ends, the small bud mouth with soft contours and superbly rendered pursed into a faint smile, all beneath neatly coiffed hair gathered into a high chignon and adorned with an elaborately beaded crown, wood stand

A Japanese private collection, acquired prior to 1970s.

As visible in the catalogue illustration, there are breaks to the topknot and minor chips to the extremities of the carving, including the tips of the crown and edges of the ears and chin. An approx. 1.5 by 1.8 cm section of the nose has been restored.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Buddhist sculpture of this period is characterised by the very sensuous physical appearance of the deities represented and the current head, exuding influence from the stylised iconography of the Northern Wei dynasty, is a remarkable testament to the renaissance of statuary in China at the beginning of the 7th century. See a related Tang dynasty example of an eleven-headed Avalokiteshvara unearthed in the western suburbs of Xi'an, similarly carved with plump cheeks and eyes rendered beneath a neatly coiffed chignon, illustrated in Cheng Jianzheng et al., Xi'an Forest of Stone Tablets Museum, Xi'an, 2000, p. 134.