The purpose of this report is to compare two wooden sculptures of Guanyin, both from the Song Dynasty in the mid-tenth through late thirteenth century CE era in China. The first is a monumental rendition of this image that is in the Eugene Fuller Collection of the Seattle Art Museum. The second is found in the Sackler Museum at Harvard University.
The Fuller Guanyin is a wood and polychrome sculpture that stands 162.56 centimeters tall. Large scale wooden sculptures dating to the Song period were commonly found in northern China and less frequently so in the south (Washington.edu, 1). This particular sculpture depicts the female apparition of Guanyin in a traditional seated posture on a bench or plinth of stone. The three dimensional brightly painted sculpture positions the goddess with her left leg dangling and her right leg balanced on the bench. Her right arm with an open palm rests on her right knee while her left arm follows the pattern of her left leg, angling down to touch the bench.
As described by Helen Gardner (217), the form of the goddess in this era became full and rounding with richly elegant decorative details. The pose is one of elegant and dignified grace, great compassion, and enormous gentleness of spirit. The eyes of the statue seem close as though in contemplation and a faint yet noticeable smile animates her composed features.
The second sculpture, found in the Sackler Museum, is also wood with polychrome. The pose is very similar to that of the Fuller sculpture although in this rendition Guanyin's left leg is tucked beneath her as she sits on a flat rather than an elevated stone surface. Like the Fuller sculpture, the Sackler Guanyin depicts a less formal rendition than appeared in earlier eras. Her draperies are rich and flowing, but are more relaxed and less stylized than those in the Fuller example,
Both of the Guanyins wear an elaborate headpiece denoting their significanc...