Provenance:
American Private Collection
Christie's, New York, March 15, 2016, no. 250
Asian Private Collection
Avalokiteshvara’s eleven heads are arranged in ascending tiers above the central face, each crowned with a jeweled tiara. Eight arms extend around the body, while the two principal hands meet before the chest in anjali mudra. The remaining hands hold a lotus, chakra, water pot, and other attributes. The central face has almond-shaped eyes and a gently-arched mouth, framed by cascading locks of hair that fall over the shoulders. The figure is adorned with necklaces, bracelets, armlets, jeweled festoons, and pendant ornaments, while an antelope skin falls over the left shoulder. The two-tiered dhoti is deeply pleated and covered with finely-incised floral patterns. Extensive blue pigment survives between the faces and across the upper torso, and orange-red colour remains on the uppermost heads.
Ekadashamukha Avalokiteshvara was a longstanding iconographic form across the Buddhist world, appearing over many centuries in regions including Nepal, Tibet, Mongolia, and East Asia. In Buddhist tradition, Avalokiteshvara responds to the suffering of beings throughout the world, and his eleven heads and multiple arms express his ability to perceive and assist them in every direction. According to one account, his single head became a tower of eleven so that he could see panoramically, while his arms multiplied so that he could reach out to those in need. Here, this complex iconography is brought into careful order: the tiers of crowned heads form a coherent vertical sequence, while the eight arms accommodate numerous attributes without overwhelming the central body. The elaborate jewelry and patterned garments further emphasize the regal bearing of Avalokiteshvara, uniting the compassionate purpose of a bodhisattva with the worldly presence of a prince.
