Art Nouveau Guan-Yin in Jadeite Stone

Very nice Jadéite stone achievement made in China.

This large statue represents "Guan-Yin" standing dressed in a magnificent long dress crowned with a tiara of pearls, as ideal of beauty and femininity.
She holds in her hands a tray filled with lotus flowers not yet open, symbol of purity.

Described for the first time in 1846, jadeite was named by a French mineralogist named Augustin A. Damour.
The Jadéite appellation comes from the term "footra of ijada" which means "stone of the flank" because of its many virtues on the kidneys.

Jadeite can only be found in certain parts of the globe, especially in Japan, Mexico, the United States, China and Guatemala.
Unlike nephritis or other varieties of jade, jadeite is considered to be significantly rarer and qualitative.

Era: late XIXth - Beginning XXth - Art Nouveau
Dimensions: height: 98cm x Width: 30cm x Depth: 18cm

Guan-Yin, also called the "Chinese Virgin", embodies compassion.
It is an important figure of Buddhism in China and its name can result in "the one who hears the cries of the world"
"Guan" means contemplating and "yin" means incantation.

His worship was introduced in China in the 3rd century and gradually took importance under the Tang dynasty and then under the Song dynasty.

The goddess Guan-Yin has become very popular among the Chinese population, even among non-Buddhists.
It appears in many religious writings, in artistic works (paintings and sculptures) as well as in ancient literature.