Bonten, the Creator, late 10th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Japanese cypress woodexpand_more
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundationexpand_more 2015.79.261
On View in Gallery 220expand_more
This Buddhist guardian figure, which could be a depiction of Bonten (the Hindu deity Brahma), stands at attention, wearing a suit of armor and a robe with a shawl. His hair is tied in a topknot. Although now missing both arms and ravaged by insects, this guardian dates from around 950 to 1000, when Buddhist sculptors turned away from the forceful and menacing figures of an earlier style of Buddhist sculpture in favor of a gentler demeanor such as this. Use of the ichiboku technique, whereby the main body of the sculpture was carved from a single block of wood, also points to this date.
Details
- Title
- Bonten, the Creator
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.79.261
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murase, Art through a Lifetime, no. 558
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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