Guardian
15th-16th century
Guardians, as they are known, are dressed in military uniforms and once stood on a Buddhist altar, serving as attendants to the Guanyin. The fierce countenance of one figure contrasts with the calm expression of the other, both exerting incredible presence. Their robust and arched torsos, elaborate armor and flowing ribbons recall the painted clay figures in the Dahui Temple in Beijing, and the Skanda in the Shuanglin Temple in Shanxi province.
Gilded bronze and pearl
29 x 19 3/4 x 12 5/8 in. (73.6 x 50.1 x 32 cm)
Eugene Fuller Memorial Collection
33.819
Slide taken in galleries at Seattle Asian Art Museum