Fragment of Guanyin of Eleven Heads
date: label: Date
content: 703
label: Period
content: Tang dynasty
notes: label: Description
content: In relief, within a recess; lower part, from knees downward, missing, and minor injuries.
label: Description
content: Limestone; gray, with gray-brown patina.
label: Label
content: Esoteric (Vajrayana) Buddhism employs rituals and magic spells and many of the deities are depicted in a multiheaded and multiarmed guise. This form of Buddhism was popular in China during the Tang dynasty, when this image of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, was made under imperial patronage. Eleven heads represent the stages of enlightenment.
label: Label
content: The sensuous sculptural style reflects artistic exhange between China and India. This sculpture originally adorned the Seven Jewels Pagoda that was built in the Tang dynasty capital, Chang'an (modern day Xi'an). This sculpture is one of several similar images that adorned the Pagoda. Another related image from the Seven Jewels Pagoda is also in the Freer Gallery of Art (see F1909.98)
label: Provenance
content: To 1914
label: Provenance
content: Edgar Worch (1880-1972), New York to 1914 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1914 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Edgar Worch in 1914 [2]
label: Provenance
content: From 1920
label: Provenance
content: Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 521, pg. 149, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
label: Provenance
content: [2] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
label: Collection
content: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: Promise of Paradise (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
label: Exhibition History
content: Promise of Paradise: Early Chinese Buddhist Sculpture (December 1, 2012 to January 3, 2016)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Buddhist Sculpture, 1944 (March 13, 1944 to November 14, 1944)
label: Exhibition History
content: Stone Sculpture, Gallery 17, 1923 (May 2, 1923 to November 17, 1955)
label: Exhibition History
content: Stone Sculpture, Buddhist Bronze, and Chinese Painting (May 2, 1923 to February 25, 1956)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Edgar Worch (1880-1972) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: Qibaotai Pagoda, Guangzhai Temple, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
topic: label: Topic
content: stone
label: Topic
content: Buddhism
label: Topic
content: bodhisattva
label: Topic
content: Tang dynasty (618 - 907)
label: Topic
content: Avalokiteshvara
label: Topic
content: Guanyin
label: Topic
content: willow tree
label: Topic
content: China
label: Topic
content: mandorla
label: Topic
content: Vajrayana Buddhism
label: Topic
content: Chinese Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
setName: label: On View
content: West Building (Freer Gallery of Art), Gallery 17: Promise of Paradise
label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: F1914.55
objectType: label: Type
content: Sculpture
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Limestone
label: Dimensions
content: H x W x D: 77.8 x 31.5 x 18.8 cm (30 5/8 x 12 3/8 x 7 3/8 in)