Avalokitesvara

Srivijaya (Chaiya), early 8c
National Museum, Bangkok

This exceptional sculpture, of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, demonstrates an extraordinary level of carving. The torso's flesh, set off against exquisitely rendered details of gems and costume, seems to pulsate with inner life. As a representative of the great pan-Asian tradition of Indianizing art, this figure would not seem out of place in Ajanta, or Dunhuang.