Sculpture
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The Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Kannon (detail), Nanbokuchō period, 14th century
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 11
December 15, 2020 (Tue) - May 9, 2021 (Sun)Japan has three main traditions of sculpture: Buddhist deities, Shinto deities, and portraits of people. Buddhism was introduced to Japan from the Korean Peninsula in the 6th century, together with sculptures of Buddhist deities. These sculptures were made primarily for worship. Making a sculpture was also an “act of spiritual merit” that would help one’s prayers to be answered.
In contrast, Shinto is the indigenous religion of Japan. Since ancient times, people believed that Shinto deities dwell in natural features like mountains and rivers, and rarely depicted them as humanlike sculptures. Even when a Shinto shrine had a sculpture for worship, the priests usually kept it hidden from view out of respect.
Some portrait sculptures were also worshipped, as they showed deified monks or samurai. Others were made to remember the dead and pray for their salvation. This gallery features works mainly from the Heian (794–1192) and Kamakura (1192–1333) periods, when many of Japan’s most admired sculptures were created.
| Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | Minamoto Yoritomo (Presumed) | Kamakura period, 13th-14th century | C-1526 | |||
| Highlight | The Wisdom King Fudō | Heian period, 11th century | Gift of Mr. Okano Tetsusaku, C-1851 | ||||
| Important Cultural Property | Shrine for the Wisdom King Aizen | Kamakura period, 13th century | C-1858 | ||||
| Important Cultural Property | The Wisdom King Fudō | Heian period, 11th century | C-1525 | ||||
| Highlight | The Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva Kannon | Nanbokuchō period, 14th century | C-306 | ||||
| Important Cultural Property | The Sheep General, One of the Twelve Divine Generals | Passed down at Jōruriji Temple, Kyoto | Kamakura period, 13th century | C-16 | |||
| Important Cultural Property | The Snake General, One of the Twelve Divine Generals | Passed down at Jōruriji Temple, Kyoto | Kamakura period, 13th century | C-1852 | |||
| Important Cultural Property | The Dog General, One of the Twelve Divine Generals | Passed down at Jōruriji Temple, Kyoto | Kamakura period, 13th century | C-1853 | |||
| Highlight | Important Cultural Property | The Buddhist Priest Jie Daishi | By Renmyō | Kamakura period, 1286 (Kōan 9) | Lent by Kongorinji Temple, Shiga |