{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O76836"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O76836/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM3267/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AM3267/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AM3267","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2015HP3849","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC9704","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O76836/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O76836","accessionNumber":"A.97-1923","objectType":"Figure","titles":[{"title":"Guanyin","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Soapstone was used at an early date in China to create small-scale Buddhist sculptures. This is an important example in the Museum's collection, which shows the Bodhisattva Guanyin seated with raised knee in the pose known in Buddhist iconography as 'royal ease'. (Guanyin was the Chinese goddess of mercy.) It compares closely with a number of large-scale examples in wood and other materials, and like them may well have been made in the northern half of China in the 12th century. It is of greyish soapstone, but traces of red and green pigment remain visible on the reverse of the figure.","physicalDescription":"Soapstone figure of Guanyi, seated on a rock in the attitude of kingly repose, wearing a diadem, the figure coated with gesso, on which traces of red, green and gold paint remain.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"soapstone","id":"AAT11665"}],"techniques":[{"text":"carved","id":"AAT53149"},{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Soapstone, carved, with traces of polychrome","categories":[{"text":"Sculpture","id":"THES48896"}],"styles":[{"text":"Song","id":"AAT18427"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"EAS","id":"THES48596"},"images":["2006AM3267","2015HP3849","2017KC9704"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES362341"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Figure","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"China","id":"x29398"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1100-1200","earliest":"1100-01-01","latest":"1200-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"15.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Exhibited in Ghent 1979-80","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Figure of Guanyin, carved soapstone with traces of polychrome, China, Song dynasty, 1100-1200","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Clunas, Craig. <u>Chinese Carving</u>. London: Sun Tree Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1996. p. 70, fig. 85."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Guanyin","id":"N852"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"觀音","id":"CIT281067"},{"text":"自在坐","id":"CIT0288606"},{"text":"冠","id":"CIT281574"},{"text":"袍","id":"CIT289580"},{"text":"綵帶","id":"CIT282933"},{"text":"赤足","id":"CIT0284083"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"KUANYIN; statuette in steatite. CHINESE; A97-1923.\r\nSung dynasty (960-1280 A.D.)\r\nH. 4 3/4in., W. 6in.\r\nBought S.M. Franck & Co. £5.\r\nR.P. Phot. 53670.\r\nThe figure is seated on a rock in the attitude of kingly repose, wearing a diadem. The figure has been coated with gesso, on which traces of red, green and gold paint remain.","date":{"text":"pre 2005","earliest":null,"latest":"2004-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["A.97-1923"],"accessionNumberNum":"97","accessionNumberPrefix":"A","accessionYear":1923,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Negative number","id":"THES50273"},"number":"53670"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-14","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-17","availableToBook":true}}