Water-moon Avalokiteshvara 1300 - 1349

aged paper

toned paper

water colours

asian-art

tile art

coffee painting

underpainting

watercolour bleed

watercolour illustration

watercolor

warm toned green

"Water-moon Avalokiteshvara" is an anonymous Japanese painting on silk from the Kamakura Period (1185–1333) and housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. It portrays the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, a figure of great compassion and mercy, seated on a lotus throne. The piece exemplifies the artistic styles of the time with its intricate details and rich color palette. The bodhisattva's calm and serene demeanor, contrasted with the dynamic swirls of his robes, creates a visual balance symbolic of the harmony between the earthly and the spiritual. This work is a prime example of the influence of Buddhist art on Japanese painting during the Kamakura Period.