Antique Japanese Ivory Okimono
Kannon Bosatsu
Family Shrine
Signature: unsigned. Circa: 19th Century
h. 7in.(18cm), w. 2.25 in.(5.5cm), d. 1 in.(2.5cm)
Condition: chip to frame, o.a. very good!

Throughout traditional China, Korea and Japan, Quan Yin (or Kannon as she is known is Japan) has been an essential figure in daily worship. Known as “She who hears the cries of the World” Kannon is felt to offer sweet, direct, and lucid assistance. As an emanation of the Goddess, she is resonant with such female deities as the Virgin Mary or the Hindu deity Lakshmi all who oversee the well being of the daily affairs of humankind from a cosmic perspective. Indeed, go deeply into her and you will find that material abundance complimented with the abundance of the pure consciousness and deep compassion reveals an essential harmony of the worlds.

This antique 19th century ivory Kannon would have been the centerpiece of the family shrine. Imagine her surrounded with the scented swirls of traditional ko (incense) in the early hours of the morning as sutras are being chanted. Her robes are sumptuously rendered as if they are in motion. She holds a mala and a sacred sutra, reminding us of both wisdom and practice. Her countenance displays peaceful concentration and contemplation. This is a beautifully rendered okimono that communicates both history and the timeless qualities of the deity.

Sold to Private Collection