Body likely of Nepalese origin, 14-16th century. Cast with an eleven-headed, eight-armed standing Avalokiteshvara. The principal hands held in anjalimudra, the other six fanned out and holding objects in three arms. Adorned with jewellery with a deer skin draped over the left shoulder. Blue and red paint to hair and eyes. Standing on a Chinese Ming dynasty circular lotus base with Da Ming Yongle Nian Shi inscription to front. H. 20cm (7 7/8 in.) Diameter of base: 8.5cm (3 3/8 in.) Provenance: Collection of Arthur Edwin Covington, a Canadian physicist renowned for making the first ever radio astronomy measurements in Canada. While working with the National Research Council in Ottawa, he discovered that solar sunspots can be predicted, a major discovery in the field. One of the buildings at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory is named in his honour, and most of his rare book collection currently sits at Queen’s University in the Riche-Covington collection. In addition to books, he was a collector of antiquities with a focus on Asian art.