宋 / 元 木雕觀音立像

standing upright on a lotus base, wearing layered skirts with a shawl draped over the shoulders, the exposed chest adorned with beaded necklaces, the full face with a serene expression, flanked by long ears with floral earrings, the hair pulled into a topknot encircled by a crown centered with an image of Amitabha

C.T. Loo and Company, Paris.

C.T. Loo and Company, Exhibition of Chinese Arts, New York, 1941, cat. no. 960.
Michael B. Weisbrod, Buddhist Sculpture: Design and Influence, New York, 1992, cat. no. 24.

As visible in the catalogue photo, the piece is missing its lower left forearm, the right forearm, the sections of the scarf that hang between the waist and the base, and the sections of hair that hang above the shoulder. There are chips to the tip of the nose, the inner edge of the scarf on the figure's left shoulder, to the figure's headdress and around the lotus base. There are a number of vertical cracks. There is a small hole in the back of the waist and in the front just below the overskirt. There is a crack on the figure's left side that extends from the base, up into the lower portion of the skirt, makes an arch and goes back towards the base with some losses along its length. The base has one large bore hole, two smaller holes, and a number of cracks. The surface has traces of lacquer and signs of wear. The condition is consistent with a piece this age.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The small image of Amitabha in the figure's crown identifies the bodhisattva as Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.  Guanyin is the Chinese name of Avalokiteshvara and is believed to be an emanation of Amitabha, who therefore appears in Guanyin's crown.

The present figure relates to two larger Northern Song dynasty bodhisattvas in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York illustrated in Denise Patry Leidy and Donna Strahan, Wisdom Embodied, New York, 2010, p. 179, figs. A42 and A43.