Bato Kannon

Japan

Heian Period
(11th Century)

colour and ink on silk

height - 166 cm

"Kannon, traditionally the goddess of compassion, is seen here in her more terrible aspect with a small horse's head surmounting three human heads: she has become one of the esoteric deities of the Tantric Shingon sect. The figure comes from a series depicting six different manifestations of Kannon." (from "The Oriental World")