A FINE GILT-BRONZE FIGURE OF AVALOKITESHVARA, CHINA, 15th/16th Ct., the deity of compassion is finely cast seated in vajrasana on a double lotus-base with a small lion set to its front rim, his right hand is resting on his lap while the left is raised showing a form of the vitarkamudra, both hands holding stems of lotuses flowering along his upper arms supporting the kundika and kalavinka bird, wearing dhoti falling in pleats around his knees, its border cast with scrolling tendrils, cape draped around his shoulders, its streamers encircling the arms and its finials falling over the lotus-base, bejewelled including elaborate beaded necklace, armlets, bracelets and anklets, his face displaying a serene expression with downcast eyes below arched eyebrows running into his nose-bridge, smiling lips, elongated earlobes set with circular ear-rings cast as flower-heads, his hair combed in a chignon and secured with a tiara decorated with a pair of pattras and floating ribbons. The kalavinka bird is a particular species of birds from the Himalayan region with beautiful singing voices. It is thought that the kalavinka's voice symbolizes the spread of the Buddhist teaching - Property from an European private collection - Very minor wear