Large Seated Kannon Bosatsu with Gyokugan Crystal Eyes — 42cm Antique Carved Wood Figure, Serene Tang-Style Calm, Collector-Grade Presence

There are objects that do not “decorate” a room so much as change its weather. This large seated Kannon Bosatsu is one of them: a quiet, grounded presence, scaled generously at approximately 42 cm in height, with a broad, altar-like footprint (approx. 38 cm wide × 30 cm deep). The first impression is not theatrical. It is composed—an inward calm carried by the softened planes of the face and the gentle poise of the posture.

What makes this figure especially compelling for collectors is the gaze. The eyes are set with gyokugan (inlaid eyes), a traditional technique used to create a living, luminous focus. In natural light, gyokugan does something paint cannot: it catches and returns the room’s brightness, producing a subtle sense of awareness—an “alive” quality that is felt more than it is seen. Even when the surface shows age, the gaze remains the anchor, holding the viewer in a steady, merciful attention.

Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteshvara) is the great embodiment of compassion in East Asian Buddhism—responsive, listening, turning toward suffering rather than away from it. In homes, Kannon has long been kept as a guardian of tenderness: for family harmony, for safe passage through transitions, for protection of children, and for those who feel the world intensely. In collecting terms, Kannon also represents one of the most culturally legible and enduring devotional forms—welcomed by both serious Buddhist art collectors and those seeking an ethical, contemplative centerpiece.

The sculpture’s character suggests a classical calm often associated with early statuary lineages—rounded volumes, restrained expression, and a “temple quiet” silhouette. While an exact period attribution should be treated carefully without hands-on inspection, the overall demeanor reads as antique rather than modern decorative work: the proportional weight, the settled drapery rhythms, and the way the surface has matured with time.

Condition notes matter, and this figure wears time honestly. The listing indicates drying-related cracking and some fingertip wear. These points are consistent with age in carved wood—especially in larger figures with thick sections and long decades of seasonal humidity change. Rather than detracting, such traces can confirm that the object lived a life before arriving to you: handled, revered, moved, and kept. The most important evaluation point is structural stability; based on the photographs, the figure presents as intact and display-ready, with age marks that read as patina rather than damage.

Museum-grade does not always mean “perfect.” Often it means “convincing.” This piece is convincing: in scale, in gaze, in composure, and in the way it commands space without demanding it. It is a collector’s figure—large enough to serve as the heart of a meditation room, a private altar, or an interior that wants one truly meaningful object instead of many things.

Collector relevance

• Gyokugan eyes elevate presence and authenticity cues in carved Buddhist figures.
• Large 42 cm scale functions as a true centerpiece, not a shelf miniature.
• Kannon is universally recognized and culturally resonant—easy to place, easy to live with.
• Honest age wear reads as devotional history, not decoration.

Collector’s Resonance

This is for the collector who wants quiet power: a figure that can be lived with daily, that calms the room, and that makes “heritage” feel personal rather than distant. It is also for anyone building a serious Buddhist-art wall or altar program—where one large, resolved sculpture becomes the anchor around which everything else makes sense.

Who is this deity?

Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteshvara) is the bodhisattva of compassion—“the one who hears the cries of the world.” In Japanese devotion, Kannon appears in many forms (including thousand-armed, horse-head, and child-protecting aspects). In seated forms like this, Kannon often represents steady mercy, listening, and protection—an image kept for healing, safe travel, and the softening of hardship.

Measurements

• Approx. height: 42 cm
• Approx. width: 38 cm
• Approx. depth: 30 cm

Condition

• Age-related drying cracks present (typical for older carved wood).
• Fingertip wear noted (surface loss consistent with handling/devotion).
• Please review all photos carefully for the most accurate condition read.

Confidence & Verification Notes

• Deity identification: Kannon Bosatsu is strongly suggested by the serene bodhisattva presentation; exact iconographic subtype cannot be confirmed without close-ups of attributes/crown.
• Period/style: reads as antique/classical in demeanor; exact dating should be treated as an informed estimate until examined in-hand.
• Materials: carved wood figure with gyokugan (inlaid) eyes.