Gran Kannon japonés de bronce fundido, de pie, con tallo de loto y mandorla flamígera, de finales del período Edo a principios de la era Showa

Kannon, the Bodhisattva of Compassion, stands upright on a tiered lotus, holding a flowering stem before a prominent flame-form mandorla. Cast in bronze and aged to warm brown-gold with natural green oxidation, this floor-standing figure was made for reverence at temple or formal altar scale, not as ornament.

The Piece

This large standing figure represents Kannon (Avalokiteshvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, in a refined East Asian Buddhist idiom with strong Japanese devotional character. The figure stands on a tiered lotus pedestal, holding a flowering lotus stem, the emblem of purity, awakening and compassionate intercession, crowned and backed by a prominent flame-form mandorla. The composition conveys quiet authority and spiritual equilibrium, intended as a focal presence for reverence and contemplation.

Stylistically the figure aligns with Japanese Buddhist sculpture shaped by continental influence, particularly in the treatment of the crown, the facial modeling and the lotus base. Its proportions and devotional restraint suggest production for temple or formal altar settings rather than modern decorative export, and the proportional balance between mandorla, figure and lotus base demonstrates deliberate design rather than mass-market reproduction.

The representation emphasizes accessibility and compassion rather than esoteric severity. The gentle expression, relaxed stance and flowing drapery communicate mercy and attentiveness, qualities central to Kannon worship across Japan, where such figures served as intermediaries between the human and the transcendent, embodying the vow to hear the suffering of the world.

At its floor-standing scale the work moves beyond household ornament into the realm of interior altar or small temple sculpture, where physical presence and visual authority are essential. It suits connoisseurs of Buddhist sculpture, interior altar installations and collections of museum-scale Asian antiquities.

Details

• Subject: Kannon (Avalokiteshvara), standing, holding a lotus stem, with flame-form mandorla
• Era: Late Edo to early Showa period (19th to early 20th century), by casting technique, iconography and patina
• Origin: Japan
• Material: Cast bronze or copper alloy, hollow cast
• Measurements: Exact measurements unavailable; large floor-standing figure, conservatively estimated at approx. 85–100 cm in height
• Base: Tiered lotus pedestal

Condition

• Aged surface with layered patina rather than artificial abrasion.
• Warm brown-gold tones with areas of natural green oxidation; tonal variation gathers along recesses, folds and protected contours.
• Softened edge transitions characteristic of traditional hollow casting.
• No granular corrosion or brittle surface texture.

Authenticity & Care

Attributed to bronze rather than iron by its surface tones, oxidation and casting characteristics; precise dating cannot be asserted without metallurgical testing, and no association with specific sites or historic structures is claimed. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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