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Hello, I've tried to identify the period or dynasty and found out that the Guanyin figure became female in the Song Dynasty. This figure is male. He's in the classic Guanyin royal-ease pose. This figure is sitting on a burlwood knot, which has a typical cavity on the underside. Most Guanyin figures are more ornate, with jeweled carvings. Some Tang Dynasty ceramic Guanyin figures have a similarity in style and lack of ornamentation as this figure. This Sui Dynasty figure at the Freer Gallery is also like it in style and similarity of drapery and hat. https://asia.si.edu/object/F1911.433/
Your history is correct, but those making copies (even in the 18th, 19th, and 20th c. also knew the history, so male Guanyin figures exist after the Song dynasty into modern day.
The carving on your figure is shallow, a bit choppy (rustic), and the face is not quite as serene and contemplative as early pieces, so I think this is at earliest from the late 19th c., but perhaps much later.
One photo from that far away is not the easiest to assess, but there are several features that I've pointed out that bring the age into question. Feel free to post closer photos if you want better opinons.
Most of my photos are large files. Hopefully, these will upload. I would think if this were a late 19th century copy, more of the gilding would be present. There is more on the back but that photo would make this comment over 2MB. There are holes in the head near the ear, which one can see in the photo of the profile. This lacquer Kannon (which is the Japanese version of Guanyin) from the Kamakura period has metal jewels and I wonder if the holes in the head are for jewels or ornaments that have gotten lost. https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/25856/lot/552/
The back, showing more gilt and base, which shows the burlwood. I don't know the significance of burlwood but have seen several objects which use it in it's natural state so it must have significance. The carving of the ears and hair is not as refined as the carving on the Kannon from the Kamakura period.
I did find a couple of papers on the use of wood burls in Chinese art. One paper went into how wood burls were seen as magical and that Chinese scholars saw fantastic scenes in the patterns of the wood. It doesn't have any dates, however.
This one states that wood burl carving was prominent in the Tang and Sui Dynasties, as well as other periods. Tang Dynasty poet "Han Yu described a root sculpture titled Mu ju shi 木居士 [wooden lay Buddhist] in his poem “Ti mu ju shi” 题木居士 [titled wooden lay Buddhist],
火透波穿不计春，根如头面干如身。偶然题做木居士，便有无穷求福人。
This wood has gone through many springs of fire and water, so that now its root looks like a
Buddhist’s face, while the trunk looks like a Buddhist’s body. Since the artist named it the
“wooden lay Buddhist,” now it will attract millions of people praying for good fortune. (杨 150)"
https://web.colby.edu/lcbates/files/2020/05/Dangui.pdf
From this poem it would seem that the wood burl has a great amount of symbolism in Buddhism. While this figure isn't made from the actual wood burl, it would seem that the Buddha figure, sitting on the wood burl, might actually directly pertain to the Tang Dynasty poem and it would seem that the sculptor incorporated it into the sculpture it for its spiritual qualities.
The face and posture of sitting may point to Liao Dynasty.
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/42731
@zjadey Thank you for replying. I recently discerned that the wood the figure is sitting on is actually sandalwood or another fragrant wood. Unfortunately, the only way to know the age with certainty is to have it carbon dated, an expense which might not be economically feasible, given the condition of the piece. If it were early, it might be a good idea but it's not precise and after the 1600's it would give a broad range and not be that useful for identifying a specific time period.
@sandpaperink If you haven't already, you could use the identification assistant service that Peter provides for only twelve bucks and he will give you his thoughts about when he thinks it would have been made, etc. My suspicion is that it could be a late 19th/early 20th C piece. Earlier types typically have more fine detail around areas such as the ears. The ears on yours seem a bit lacking and so that could be an indication of a later date. But I am not an authority on these carvings, though I have acquired a few and they have turned out to be not as old as I had hoped for similar reasons I stated regarding yours. At any rate, it would be good to know if you do get Peter's thoughts on it, so please update us if you do. Cheers! John
@johnshoe Thanks so much for your advice. I probably will do that as I find it difficult to judge pieces of the period from later works.
I did end up asking Peter and he thinks it's Qing, but not a copy.
@sandpaperink That's good to know - thanks for sharing!
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