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

Among boy images, this one displays delicate rendering as shown in the elaborate and colorful decorations created with a nanako and special chisels. The body, with its slender waist and long legs, also shows subtle undulations. Compared to N-179, this one shows more meticulous sensitivity, as exemplified by the lotus seeds rendered on the lotus core.
The image, including the pedestal, is created in one cast. Only the pedestal is hollowed out and the body above it is solid. Although it seems that some yoraku (threaded bead or metal decorations) of special make originally hung from the shoulders, most are missing now. Mold cavities are found only in the pedestal around the area that meets the body of the image and the overall casting finish is excellent. Renjumon (a motif of raised beads placed in a row) on the ornaments, the kun (skirt) and the hansetsu kuyomon (a nine semicircular design) of the tenne (a long cloth) are created with a nanako chisel while the fukurentenmon (a double dotted design) on the hems of the kun and tenne, the crease of the drapery folds and the rim of the pedestal is created with a special chisel. Gold plating remains over almost the entire surface. For coloring, lapis lazuli remains in the hair, vermillion (or Bengala) is found on the lips and black sumi can be seen on the eyebrows, the outline of the eyes, the eyeballs and the mustache.