Gilt-bronze Seated Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva

Goryeo · 보물 · 3F · Sculpture and Crafts · Buddhist Sculpture

This small gilt-bronze seated Avalokiteshvara (Gwaneum) Bodhisattva was made in the Goryeo period. At the center of its three-paneled crown is a small 'transformation Buddha,' a feature typically carved on the crowns of Avalokiteshvara, confirming the figure's identity. The rounded, gentle face with a soft smile and long, drawn-out eye lines reflects the traits of Goryeo Buddhist sculpture, while the lavish strings of beaded ornaments cascading over the chest and abdomen down to the lotus pedestal show the taste of late Goryeo bodhisattva images. Following the well-balanced proportions of eighth-century Silla sculpture and sharing stylistic affinities with Yuan-dynasty Chinese images, it is thought to date to the 13th-14th century.

See it in person at the National Museum of Korea — 3F · Sculpture and Crafts · Buddhist Sculpture

Source: based on official e-museum records (National Museum of Korea).