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A Gilt-Lacquer Wood Figure of a Multi-Armed Bodhisattva Vietnam,19th Century (Nguyễn Dynasty) Height: 36 cm (14.2 inches) | Width: 27 cm (10.6 inches) | Depth: 14 cm (5.5 inches) Carved wood with original gilt-lacquer finish. This well-proportioned figure represents a multi-armed divinity, most likely the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara (known in Vietnam as Quán Thế Âm or Guanyin), specifically in a manifestation emphasizing her omnipresence and compassionate power to assist sentient beings. The presence of multiple arms—in this instance, ten—is a key iconographic feature denoting this expansive, all-seeing capacity. The figure is depicted seated cross-legged (padmasana or lotus position) upon a double-lotus base. The main hands are held at chest level in a mudra (ritual gesture), typically symbolizing prayer, meditation, or supreme wisdom. The remaining eight hands radiate outwards in a halo, each hand delicately posed to hold or convey a specific implement or blessing, though the attributes themselves are now absent or obscured. The deity is dressed in flowing monastic robes (kasaya), which drape elegantly over the shoulders and legs, falling into stylized, rounded folds characteristic of Vietnamese wood carving from the 19th-century Nguyễn Dynasty period. The face is serene and meditative, crowned with an elaborate headdress. The statuette is skillfully hand-carved from a dense, local wood. It retains its original decoration, consisting of multiple layers of traditional Vietnamese lacquer that have been overlaid with gilding. The rich golden hue (son thep vang) emphasizes the figure’s sacred and luminous nature. The deep craquelure and localized splitting (visible on the base) are natural consequences of the lacquer adhering to the wood over two centuries, confirming its genuine age and use in a temple or domestic altar setting. During the 19th century, Vietnamese religious art, particularly under the Nguyễn Dynasty, maintained strong traditional forms while absorbing aesthetic influences from China. Figures of Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy, were immensely popular, installed in pagodas and private homes throughout Vietnam. This piece represents the dedication of the period's artisans to creating devotional objects of high aesthetic and spiritual quality, intended for active veneration. (Height: 36 cm (14.2 inches) | Width: 27 cm (10.6 inches) | Depth: 14 cm (5.5 inches)) French private collection The wood structure is generally sound, though there is a significant age crack visible on the front of the lotus base. The gilt-lacquer finish shows expected wear, flaking, and losses, particularly on high points and edges, revealing the darker lacquer or wood substrate underneath. Patination is commensurate with a 19th-century devotional object. Dimensions: Height: 36 cm (14.2 inches) | Width: 27 cm (10.6 inches) | Depth: 14 cm (5.5 inches)

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