A Chinese Wooden Carving Of GuanYin 18th/19th C.This is a large painted wooden bodhisattva seated in the full lotus position with his hands held in the "peace" mudra. He wears flowing robes with a floral necklace and has a meditation sash draped around his abdomen. His face exudes peacefulness and he has a jewel set in his forehead. He is made of multi-block construction and has a "spirit" or "relic" chamber in the back, said to be a place for souls to dwell. Wood carving, although secondary to ivory carving in the Qing period, was still valued enough that the emperor maintained a workshop of carvers in his court and artisans throughout the country created items such as this one. Size: 36" H x 24" W x 20" deep (no stand)

Although there is cracking and repair to the wood, the figure is almost entirely intact. The bottom of one of his feet is more worn than other parts of the statue, and he is missing a joint of one finger. There is still clear paint on the body of the statue, and it is covered in a fine walnut-colored patina.