Dimensions: Height 41,5 cm Wide 23 cm Depth 16 cm
Weight: 6073 grams

Cast in bronze, the crowned Bodhisattva is shown seated in dhyānasana on a double-lotus pedestal, hands folded in dhyānamudrā. The face displays a serene expression with half-closed eyes beneath arched brows, the hair pulled into a high chignon surmounted by an ornate openwork crown. The figure wears layered robes, finely incised with borders and tassels. The pedestal is square with openwork supports, its sides decorated with relief panels of floral motifs.

The back of the base is incised with an extended dedicatory inscription, which appears to mention the donors, possibly monks and lay followers, and records a date corresponding to the 13th century. Traces of original gilding and lacquer remain, particularly to the face and robes, lending the figure a luminous presence despite centuries of age.

Notes:
Bronzes of this type, with inscribed bases and donors’ dedications, were often created for temples and monasteries during the late Jin to Yuan period. Their inscriptions are invaluable for reconstructing the devotional practices of the time. The crowned appearance suggests identification with Bodhisattva figures such as Maitreya or a crowned form of Avalokiteśvara, rather than a Buddha.

Auction Comparisons:
– Compare with a similar inscribed bronze Bodhisattva dated to the Yuan dynasty sold at Christie’s New York, Indian and Southeast Asian Art, which also featured a square plinth with relief decoration.
– A related Jin-Yuan period gilt-bronze crowned Bodhisattva was offered at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, Chinese Works of Art.