Description:

Guanyin is a Buddhist saint (Bodhisattva) who represents compassion and mercy. She was said to ‘hear the cries of the world’. She was popular with women who prayed to her for children, especially sons. Here Guanyin is shown kneeling, holding a bottle containing the nectar of long life. The clear glass seems to glow, perhaps it would have allowed worshippers to reflect on Guanyin’s power and purity.

Glass, piece-moulded, some wheel-cut detail
Height: 11.2 cm, diameter: 7.1 cm, neck diameter: 4.3 cm
Four-character mark of the Qianlong (1736-1795), possibly added later

Creator: Unknown

Date: 1700-1800, Qing dynasty

Copyright: Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives

Object ID:N4621