{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O16094"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16094/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP0842/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP0842/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AP0842","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BN4483","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JV7162","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O16094/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O16094","accessionNumber":"A.15-1935","objectType":"Figure of Guanyin","titles":[{"title":"Guanyin","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"This small statue of the Buddhist deity Guanyin is a reminder that Chinese women had a duty to bear male children. Made in south-east China, the figure was the personal possession of a woman, who could pray to it for fertility, or give thanks to Guanyin for the birth of a son. Carved from imported African or Asian ivory, the figure's surface is coloured with red lacquer and gilding. Guanyin and the baby she holds both look downwards, in the direction of the sleeve ends of the deity's robe, giving the figure an air of contemplation.","physicalDescription":"Lacquered and gilt ivory figure of Guanyin the Bringer of Sons holding a baby boy on her right shoulder supported by both hands, wearing a long robe which extends to cover her hair piled on top of her head.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"ivory","id":"AAT11857"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lacquered","id":"AAT53796"},{"text":"gilded","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Ivory, lacquered and gilded","categories":[{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"},{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"},{"text":"Buddhism","id":"THES48984"}],"styles":[{"text":"Ming","id":"AAT18438"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AP0842","2007BN4483","2017JV7162"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"44 (VA)","id":"THES49802"},"free":"","case":"CA56","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure of Guanyin","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Zhangzhou","id":"x30833"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"probably"},{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1580-1640","earliest":"1580-01-01","latest":"1640-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased with Art Fund support, the Vallentin Bequest, Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"32","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"This small statue of the Buddhist deity Guanyin holding a baby boy is a touching reminder of the Chinese wife's duty to bear male children.  This devotional image probably graced a woman's room.\r\n\r\nThe design of the figure follows the curve of the tusk. Of the original gold lacquer little is left, except the dark red ground. In the number of places, noticeably on the skirts in front the ivory now shows through.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Figure of Guanyin the Bringer of Sons, lacquered and gilt ivory, possibly Zhangzhou, China, Ming dynasty, 1580-1640","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wilson, Verity. 'Identifying Women's Things in the T T Tsui Gallery'. <u>Orientations</u>. July 1991, photo p.38."},{"reference":{"text":"Kerr, Rose (ed.), Chinese Art and Design: the T.T. Tsui Gallery of Chinese Art. London: Victoria and Albert Museum, 1991.","id":"AUTH404455"},"details":"p. 145, no. 61.","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Clunas, Craig. <u>Chinese Carving</u>. London: Sun Tree Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1996. front cover and p. 19, fig. 7."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Watson, William (ed). <u>Chinese Ivories from the Shang to the Qing</u>. London: Oriental Ceramic Society and Philip Wilson Publishers Ltd., 1984. p. 58, no. 27."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Guanyin","id":"N874"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"child","id":"AAT25945"},{"text":"送子觀音","id":"CIT0283703"},{"text":"孩嬰","id":"CIT288764"},{"text":"髮髻","id":"CIT0292146"},{"text":"袍","id":"CIT289580"},{"text":"綵帶","id":"CIT282933"},{"text":"懷抱","id":"CIT0283326"},{"text":"站立 (人體姿勢)","id":"CIT278931"},{"text":"兜帽","id":"CIT0292190"},{"text":"懷抱","id":"CIT0283326"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"devotion","id":"x35215"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Guanyin the Bringer of Sons\r\nMing dynasty\r\n1580-1640 \r\n\r\nGuanyin as the bringer of sons was an object of devotion for women who would pray for fertility or thank the deity for the birth of sons. \r\n\r\nLacquered and gilt ivory\r\nProbably Zhangzhou, south China\r\n\r\nFrom the Eumorfopoulos collection, purchased with the assistance of The Art Fund, the Vallentin Bequest, Sir Percival David and the Universities China Committee. \r\nMuseum no. A.15-1935","date":{"text":"2009","earliest":"2009-01-01","latest":"2009-12-31"}},{"text":"KUAN-YI (GODDESS OF MERCY)\r\nIvory, lacquered and gilt\r\nCHINESE; 17th century\r\n\r\nEumorfopoulos Collection\r\nA15-1935","date":{"text":"pre 2005","earliest":null,"latest":"2004-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["A.15-1935"],"accessionNumberNum":"15","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1935,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Negative number","id":"THES50273"},"number":"73901"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}