A large Chinese cast iron figure of Guanyin with inscription on the back, Ming/Qing

H.: 90 cm

A similarly inscribed Buddha figure is on display in Suzhou, but the inscriptions refer to the Tie Nu temple in Jingzhou. It was described in a Chinese blog post in 2015. (link)

The inscription on the Buddha reads 安德将军为确保夫人平安生下长子，顺天之意特此供奉铁铸佛像一尊敬赠湖北荆州铁女寺做开光典礼吉旦xx大明成化戊申六月十三日南x乾生x and can be freely translated as 'In order to ensure that his wife gave birth to the eldest son, General Ande hereby enshrines an iron forged Buddha statue and presents a ceremony at the Iron Lady Temple in Jingzhou, Hubei.

Condition: (UV-checked)
- The cast iron figure generally in good condition, with superficial wear and areas of superficial flaking of the surface. A number of visible casting seams and a small hole near the lower foot of the Guanyin, as visible on the photos.

Provenance: A French private collection.