National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

The statue depicts a dharma protector guardian deity (Kongō Rikishi). Standing on a lotus pedestal, the figure wears an ornamental scarf-like strip of cloth (J. tenne) and wraparound skirt. The right arm is extended downward in a fist, and the left is held in front of the chest. It was made using a hollow-core dry lacquer technique and then painted. The sculptural style is unique and has many unusual features, like the peculiar countenance, bushy beard and moustache, broad upper body tapering to a constricted waist, and the backward leaning posture of the torso. The tension in the pose and hand positions is paired with a somewhat aloof facial expression, giving the statue a distinct presence. It is difficult to date the work, as no similar examples exist in Japan. However, judging from the form of the simple chest ornaments, the bearded face, the pose, the large upper body, and clearly defined musculature, it can be concluded that the statue was created in the early Nara period (710–794) when sculptural modes from China’s early Tang dynasty still exerted significant influence. It may alternatively have been produced in China.