Vintage Japanese Carved Wood Kannon Bodhisattva Standing Lotus Base Signed 18"H

Vintage Japanese Carved Wood Kannon Bodhisattva Quan Yin Standing Lotus Base Signed 18"H

Japanese carved wood standing Kannon (観音) bodhisattva figure, right hand raised in abhaya mudra, signed 五仙作 (Gosen-saku), Taishō–early Shōwa period

Japan; Taishō–early Shōwa period, c. 1912–1930s

A standing figure of Kannon Bosatsu (観音菩薩) — the bodhisattva of compassion known in the Chinese tradition as Guanyin — carved from a single piece of dense, mildly aromatic hardwood, possibly boxwood (tsuge, 黄楊), with considerable sculptural accomplishment. The figure stands in a gentle tribhanga posture on a fully opened lotus base (rengeza), the right hand raised in abhaya mudra (the gesture of reassurance and protection, palm outward toward the viewer), the left hand lowered in varada mudra (the gesture of giving). The robes fall in deep, rhythmically carved folds across the body, the sash and drapery gathered at the waist and cascading to the feet with the fluid linearity characteristic of Japanese Buddhist sculptural convention. A beaded necklace and collar are carved in relief at the chest; the crown is a simple topknot with a frontal jewel element. The face is serene and idealized, with downcast eyes, a composed expression, and elongated earlobes. The reverse carries a three-character carved inscription reading 五仙作 (Gosen-saku) — "made by Gosen" — identifying the carver by art name.

Boxwood has been among the most prized materials for fine Buddhist figural carving across East Asia precisely because of its qualities present in this piece: exceptional density, a fine and even grain that holds crisp detail at small scale, a naturally warm pale honey tone that deepens beautifully with age and handling, and a mild aromatic character that persists for decades. The weight of this figure — nearly three pounds in a form only eighteen inches tall — confirms the density of the material and the solidity of the single-piece construction, with no joinery at the waist or base junction. The Taishō and early Shōwa periods saw renewed interest in Buddhist figural carving as both devotional and decorative object, and pieces of this quality — signed by the carver, competently modeled fully in the round, and finished to a warm natural patina — represent the tradition at a serious level of craft.

The abhaya and varada mudra combination — protection offered with one hand, gifts offered with the other — is the classic Kannon gesture of dual compassion, the figure simultaneously calming fear and bestowing blessings on all who stand before it.

• Form: Standing Kannon Bosatsu figure on lotus base, single-piece carving in the round
• Material: Dense hardwood, possibly boxwood (tsuge, 黄楊); naturally light-colored with warm honey patina; mildly aromatic
• Inscription: Back: 五仙作 (Gosen-saku, "made by Gosen") — carved
• Period: Taishō–early Shōwa, c. 1912–1930s
• Dimensions: 18″H (45.7 cm)
• Weight: 2 lbs 14 oz / 1,304 g
• Condition: Age-appropriate patina and surface wear throughout; minor handling marks consistent with period; no losses, repairs, or cracks visible. Please see photos for details.