白鳳文化の彫刻

北又留四郎氏他2名寄贈,Gift of Mr. Kitamata Tomeshirō and two others,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum

<p>This is a statue of Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva Kannon, or Ekadasamukha in Sanskrit. The many faces above the head watch out in all directions as this bodhisattva seeks to guide people to salvation.<br /><br />Let's look at the statue from the front first. The face resembles that of a young child. The body is standing upright, but the left leg is slightly bent to give the impression of subtle movement. A glance from the side shows the bodhisattva standing proud with his chest pulled in and stomach pushed out. These are all characteristics of Buddhist statues produced during the so-called Hakuho, or white-phoenix period that occurred during the late Asuka Period (593-710). </p><br /><p>With eleven faces — one primary and ten more atop its head, this statue was found in what was essentially a time capsule buried over 1,000 years ago. Thought to have been created in the late Asuka period, when realistic expression was first adopted in Japanese sculpture, it is one of the oldest images of this type of deity.<br /></p>

東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum

<p>Here we see a figure sitting with one leg crossed over the other and the fingers of the right hand touching the cheek. This pose originated in the Bodhisattva statues of the ancient India kingdom of Gandhara. Later, during the Northern and Southern dynasties period in China, this pose was used to represent the Buddha himself before he abandoned his life as Prince Siddhartha and dedicated himself to religious practice. It is also thought that in Japan, this pose was used to depict the Bodhisattva Maitreya, who resides in and pursues his religious training in the heavenly realm of Tusita. One theory suggests that the mountain images on the base of this sculpture are meant to signify that the figure resides in this kind of heavenly realm.<br />The head is large and the body has a delicate physique, like that of a child. This style of Buddhist sculpture was popular in the latter half of the seventh century, towards the end of the Asuka period. The double eyelids were also often seen in the sculpture of this era. This work also features rich decoration, such as patterns of circles at the hems and borders of the garment. It differs from early Asuka period Buddhist sculptures in that the body appears more natural and has more depth when observed from the side.<br /></p>

北又留四郎氏他2名寄贈,Gift of Mr. Kitamata Tomeshirō and two others,東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum

<p>This is a statue of Eleven-Headed Bodhisattva Kannon, or Ekadasamukha in Sanskrit. The many faces above the head watch out in all directions as this bodhisattva seeks to guide people to salvation.<br /><br />Let's look at the statue from the front first. The face resembles that of a young child. The body is standing upright, but the left leg is slightly bent to give the impression of subtle movement. A glance from the side shows the bodhisattva standing proud with his chest pulled in and stomach pushed out. These are all characteristics of Buddhist statues produced during the so-called Hakuho, or white-phoenix period that occurred during the late Asuka Period (593-710). </p><br /><p>With eleven faces — one primary and ten more atop its head, this statue was found in what was essentially a time capsule buried over 1,000 years ago. Thought to have been created in the late Asuka period, when realistic expression was first adopted in Japanese sculpture, it is one of the oldest images of this type of deity.<br /></p>

東京国立博物館,Tokyo National Museum

<p>Here we see a figure sitting with one leg crossed over the other and the fingers of the right hand touching the cheek. This pose originated in the Bodhisattva statues of the ancient India kingdom of Gandhara. Later, during the Northern and Southern dynasties period in China, this pose was used to represent the Buddha himself before he abandoned his life as Prince Siddhartha and dedicated himself to religious practice. It is also thought that in Japan, this pose was used to depict the Bodhisattva Maitreya, who resides in and pursues his religious training in the heavenly realm of Tusita. One theory suggests that the mountain images on the base of this sculpture are meant to signify that the figure resides in this kind of heavenly realm.<br />The head is large and the body has a delicate physique, like that of a child. This style of Buddhist sculpture was popular in the latter half of the seventh century, towards the end of the Asuka period. The double eyelids were also often seen in the sculpture of this era. This work also features rich decoration, such as patterns of circles at the hems and borders of the garment. It differs from early Asuka period Buddhist sculptures in that the body appears more natural and has more depth when observed from the side.<br /></p>