alb3649795

MOKUJIKI SHONIN. Fudo Myoo

Fudo Myoo. Artist: Mokujiki Shonin (Japanese, 1718-1810). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: H. 35 7/16 in. (90 cm); W. 14 9/16 in. (37 cm); D. 9 13/16 in. (25 cm). Date: 1805.
Statues of the Buddhist protective deity Fudo Myoo, the "immovable wisdom king," are a familiar sight at temples in Japan. In contrast to meticulously carved works by professionals, this type of roughly hewn sculpture is the creation of an amateur monk-sculptor. Mokujiki was motivated by religious enthusiasm to make thousands of sculptures of Buddhist deities and popular gods of good fortune.
Mokujiki's sculptures were rediscovered in the early twentieth century by art critic Yanagi Soetsu (1889-1961), an advocate of the virtues of mingei, literally, "people's art." Yanagi admired the direct, unaffected power of Mokujiki's sculpture asrepresenting the ideal of an indigenous, popular Japanese art. While his technique is referred to as natabori--"hatchet-carved"--Mokujiki actually used round-headed chisels.

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Author: MOKUJIKI SHONIN (1718-1810)

Title: Fudo Myoo

Caption: Fudo Myoo. Artist: Mokujiki Shonin (Japanese, 1718-1810). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: H. 35 7/16 in. (90 cm); W. 14 9/16 in. (37 cm); D. 9 13/16 in. (25 cm). Date: 1805. Statues of the Buddhist protective deity Fudo Myoo, the "immovable wisdom king," are a familiar sight at temples in Japan. In contrast to meticulously carved works by professionals, this type of roughly hewn sculpture is the creation of an amateur monk-sculptor. Mokujiki was motivated by religious enthusiasm to make thousands of sculptures of Buddhist deities and popular gods of good fortune. Mokujiki's sculptures were rediscovered in the early twentieth century by art critic Yanagi Soetsu (1889-1961), an advocate of the virtues of mingei, literally, "people's art." Yanagi admired the direct, unaffected power of Mokujiki's sculpture asrepresenting the ideal of an indigenous, popular Japanese art. While his technique is referred to as natabori--"hatchet-carved"--Mokujiki actually used round-headed chisels.

Technique/material: Chisel-carved (natabori) wood

Period: Edo period (1615-1868)

Museum: Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA

Credit: Album

Image size: 2559 × 4400 px | 32.2 MB

Print size: 21.7 × 37.3 cm | 1007.5 × 1732.3 in (300 dpi)

Keywords: ASIA • ASIAN ART • CHISEL-CARVED (NATABORI) WOOD • CHISELS • EDO PERIOD (1615-1868) • JAPAN • METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, USA • MOKUJIKI SHONIN • SCULPTURE