Important Cultural PropertyAvalokitesvara (Kannon Bosatsu)

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  • 1 statue
  • Cast bronze, gold-plated
  • Statue H38.0
  • Asuka period/7th century
  • Tokyo National Museum
  • N-177

This is a relatively big image and its firm face and facial features are somewhat similar to those of N-144, the "Yamadadono image" inscribed as the central image of the Amitaba trinity. The structure of the yoraku (threaded beads or metal decorations) that falls down on the front of the body is also similar to that of the attendants of the trinity.
The image, including the pedestal with an upturned lotus flower and tenon-like projections below it, is created in one cast and hollowed out up to the lower part of the shoulders. The thickness of the copper in the hollow is somewhat thick and even on the whole. Katamochi (a piece of metal inserted between the outer and inner molds) is inserted at the chest, on the lap where both ends of a tenne (a long cloth) cross and around the hips on the back. (Considering the fact that the katamochi installed in the front lower body correspond to those on the back, there should be katamochi in the lower part of shoulders that correspond to those at the chest. However, they cannot be identified at present). It is worth noting that the traces of katmochi in this image are not treated with inlay, which is often the case with other images, but they have been tinkered with. Big mold cavities can be found in the area to the right of the neck and in the upturned lotus petals. While renjumon (a motif of raised beads arranged in a row) have been created on ornaments with a nanako chisel, fukurentenmon (a double dotted design) is created with a special chisel along the hems of the kun (a skirt) and tenne, the crease of the drapery folds and the rims of the lotus core and petals. However, these motifs are not particularly distinctive. Gold plating remains over almost the entire surface except the reverse side of the head ornaments, the hair and the tenon-like projections below the upturned lotus petals. Coloring remains only on the hair. The base below the upturned lotus is made of wood and was added later.

Pieces

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