Water-moon Avalokiteshvara

A seated bodhisattva in flowing white robes, with a red sash and jeweled necklace, rests in a relaxed pose against a dark ground. A pale circular halo frames the figure, and faint rocks and foliage appear below, painted in ink and color on silk.

Look closer: A small figure, possibly a child or attendant, is seen in the lower left corner among the rocks.

Artist

Unidentified artist

Date

first half of the 14th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2050 × 4000 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Charles Stewart Smith Collection, Gift of Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, Charles Stewart Smith Jr., and Howard Caswell Smith, in memory of Charles Stewart Smith, 1914