Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces

Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces

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Title: Senju Kannon Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara, Circa 1400-1500. A Rare Silk Painting of the Eleven Headed, Thousand Armed Buddha, Uncommonly Depicted with Fourteen Faces
Condition:  Very Good

A Late Muromachi Period, 15th century silk painting of the Senju Kannon (Thousand Armed) Bosatsu, or the Forty-Two-Armed Sahasrabhuja Avalokiteśvara. This is one of the many manifestations of Avalokiteśvara, following a prominent tale of how the Kannon vowed to never rest until all sentient beings were liberated from samsara. Despite his efforts, he fell short of his goal, and struggling to comprehend the needs of so many, his head split into eleven pieces, and the Amida Buddha, seeing his struggles, gave him eleven heads to gain comprehension. Upon gaining full comprehension, the Kannon tried to reach with his two arms, but they shattered, and once more the Amida aided him by granting one thousand arms to aid the many in need.

The standard depiction of the Senju Kannon Bosatsu is typically one with eleven faces and forty-two arms (one thousand arms are not the easiest to depict in paintings), like this example, though there are variations, as like this painting with fourteen faces. Another example of variation is found in the principal image of Dojoji Temple, and the principal image of Fudarakusanji Temple in Wakayama Prefecture have 44 arms. The reasoning for 42 arms being used is as followed: excluding the two hands clasped together in front of the chest, the 40 arms each represent saving 25 worlds, so "25 x 40 = 1,000." The "25 worlds" mentioned here refers to the three realms and twenty-five existences in Buddhism.

Of the 42 hands, two are pressed together to form a gasshō, a gesture of greeting and reverence, The other 40 hands each posses a different a different mudra (symbolic gesture) and object, varying from a hand drum, vajra, pilgrim’s staff, trident, Dharma wheel, wish-granting jewels, bow and arrows, prayer beads, and much more.

The Kannon stands atop two lotus flowers and is surrounded by a large mandorla.

The painting has been neatly mounted onto a brocade decorated kakejiku (hanging scroll), with jikusaki (knobs) made of brass. There is a wooden box to accompany it, preserving the scroll.

One silk painting mounted on a kakejiku (hanging scroll), 166.5 x 52.5 cm full size, 84.5 x 38.5 cm main painting

This painting is in very good shape, with some light silk splits in places, and the main painting of the Kannon is somewhat worn.

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