Himalayan Art. A bronze figure of Avalokitesvara Pakistan, Swat Valley, 7th-9th century . Significant bronze casting depicting Avalokitesvara, the Boddhisattva of compassion. Seated cross-legged on an hourglass base decorated with lotus petals, his hieratic and austere face features eyes enriched with silver inlays, in a style typical of the bronzes of the Swat valley. The right hand gestures an assurance to fulfil wishes (varadamudra), while the left holds a lotus branch that ends in an open flower. The high crown that adorns the head displays a small miniature of Amitabha, the Transcendent Buddha, in the centre. Provenance: Private collection Milan, Italy. Acquired at Dalton Somarè, Milan, Italy. Cm 8,20 x 16,50.