Antique bronze plaque of thousand armed Avalokiteshvara with sutra, Japanese (1185-1800 AD). An antique inscribed bronze plaque, of arched rectangular form, one side cast in relief with the multi-armed deity Avalokiteshvara seated on a throne, the reverse side - with an eight vertical line Sutra. Size: 6.5 x 4.25 inches = 16.5 cm x 10.7 cm; Weight: 539 g; One of the most popular devotional deities in Himalayan Buddhism, Avalokiteshvara (the Bodhisattva of Compassion) appears in many forms, but this “thousand-armed” form is one of the most popular. The many heads, eyes, and hands represent the countless ways in which Avalokiteshvara can see, hear, and benefit all sentient beings. Opinion of Japanese collector: I think it is a Japanese Thousand-Armed Kannon. The writing on the back is not a sutra, but looks like a wish for health or happiness. Buddhism was first established in Japan in the 6th century CE.[3][4][5] Most of the Japanese Buddhists belong to new schools of Buddhism which were established in the Kamakura period (1185－1333).[6] During the Edo (Tokugawa)-period (1603–1868), Buddhism was controlled by the feudal Shogunate. The Meiji-period (1868–1912) saw a strong response against Buddhism, with persecution and a forced separation between Buddhism and Shinto (Shinbutsu bunri). - Provenance: this item comes from the private Philippine collection of Lou A. and Barbara B. Pritchett. Lou Pritchett was the ex-Vice President of Procter and Gamble. Lou Pritchett rose through the ranks at Procter & Gamble and was instrumental in the creation of the partnership between Procter & Gamble and Wal-Mart. Pritchett was instrumental in bringing Proctor & Gamble to the Philippines during his time there. Now retired, Lou is a sought-after public speaker and author of Stop Paddling & Start Rocking the Boat.