Expert’s note: The similarity, particularly in the facial features, between this figure and the one in the British Museum (see literature comparison below) is remarkable. The British Museum example is dated to 1339 and was acquired in 1991 from Sydney Moss in London, where Gerard Hawthorn—whose collection the present figure comes from—worked for some time before becoming an independent dealer in London. It is therefore possible that both statues share the same provenance. Songzi Guanyin emerged as a distinct form of Guanyin during the Song period (960–1279), though its roots trace back to the Tang dynasty (618–907). Influenced by Buddhist deities like Hariti, she became an important maternal figure whose veneration continues today, reflecting Guanyin’s enduring role as a symbol of compassion and motherhood in Chinese Buddhism.

China, circa 1350. Heavily cast, seated in Royal Ease, the goddess cradles her small child, who playfully raises its hands in the air. She is draped in long, flowing robes, her face rendered with a downcast expression, bow-shaped lips, and gently arched brows beneath an urna. Her finely combed hair is styled into a tall chignon, partially covered by a cowl.

Provenance: Gerard Hawthorn, Hampshire, England. A notable private collector in Kensington, London, United Kingdom, acquired from the above. Gerard Hawthorn joined Sydney L. Moss Ltd in 1963 and later became an independent art dealer, assisting the world’s leading collectors and museums in acquiring rare Chinese antiques. Additionally, he formed his own collection of Chinese art, especially Yixing stoneware, which before their sale in November 2011 was regarded as one of the world’s greatest and most distinguished collection of Yixing wares by a single owner. Gerard Hawthorn is also the author of the catalog series ‘Oriental Works of Art’, which features fine works of art from China, Japan, and Korea.
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and casting irregularities, scattered minute nicks, few light dents.

Weight: 1.9 kg
Dimensions: Height 16.9 cm

The Songzi representation of Guanyin, or the 'Bringer of Sons,' is identifiable by the boy seated on her knee. Male children were extremely important to Confucian family structure. They ensured not only the continuity of family and clan, but that there would be uninterrupted generations to carry on the rituals of ancestral worship. The Child-Giving Guanyin was prayed to by worshipers for healthy children and intelligent male heirs. Extant depictions of Songzi Guanyin from the later Ming dynasty are known in various materials, including bronze, wood, stone, and ivory.

Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related bronze figure of Guanyin in the British Museum, dated 1339, acquired from Sydney Moss in 1991, accession number 1991,0719.1.