The Guardian God Bishamonten 毘沙門天立像びしゃもんてんりゅうぞう

Description

In the world of Buddhist deities, each of the four cardinal directions is guarded by a deity, and these deities are collectively known as the Four Heavenly Kings. They appear powerful, looking like generals in armor. Tamonten, the guardian of the north, was also worshipped individually and called Bishamonten. This sculpture is thought to have originally had a miniature pagoda on its left hand and a pole arm in its right, although these items have been lost. The demon under its feet is also valuable because it is thought to have been made at the same time as the sculpture.

This sculpture was made by joining together multiple pieces of wood. Its interior has been hollowed out to prevent the wood from cracking as it dries. An ink inscription in this hollow interior identifies this as a sculpture of Bishamonten and records that it was made in 1271 by a Buddhist sculptor named Keisan. The details of Keisan’s life are not known. Based on the character “kei” in his name, however, it is thought that he may have been a member of the Kei school of Buddhist sculptors tied to the lineage of Unkei, who was active from the late-12th century to the early-13th.

Most of the sculptures of the Four Heavenly Kings produced by sculptors of the Kei school, however, have limbs rich in motion and decorative clothing and armor. This sculpture, in contrast, is standing upright and staring straight ahead in a largely static pose. Its clothing and armor are also subdued. Keisan appears to have valued a steady, reserved style.

Dating to 1271, this figure is made of multiple pieces of wood that were sculpted individually and painstakingly assembled by a team of artisans. It depicts the fierce guardian god Bishamonten trampling a demon representing evil and delusion. Revered as a protector of the Buddha’s realm, he originally stood guard inside the worship hall of a temple.