Page 82 - Japanese Art September 2017 New York

1200
A WOOD HYAKUMANTO (MINIATURE
PAGODA)
Nara period (710-794), circa 764-770
A turned-wood miniature three-tier pagoda
from the Hyakumanto (One Million Pagodas),
the separately carved top spire forming a
cover for a hollowed center compartment
that originally concealed a small block-
printed dharani charm scroll (now missing),
the exterior with traces of gesso
With a wood tomobako storage box
inscribed Horyuji hyakumanto
8 1/4in (21cm) high

US$800 - 1,200

1201
ANONYMOUS BUDDHIST
Esoteric Deity
Muromachi period (1392-1573)
Hanging scroll, ink, colors and gold on silk;
possibly Ugajin (Uka no kami), the green-
hued deity standing in bodhisattva garb, his
hands holding a writhing snake and upright
sword, five more snakes encircling his head
silhouetted by a flame-edged nimbus, the
upper left corner with the siddham (seed-
syllable) of the deity
38 3/8 x 15 5/8in (97.5 x 39.7cm) painting
71 x 24 3/8in (180.3 x 62cm)
US$3,000 - 5,000
1200 1201
1202
A SMALL BUDDHIST EMBROIDERED
VOTIVE SCREEN
Late Muromachi (1392-1573) or Momoyama
(1573-1615) period, 16th century
The central panel depicting Uga Benzaiten,
the eight-armed syncretic deity seated on a
lotus pedestal in Chinese dress and crowned
with the effigy of the kami Ugajin framed by a
torii gate, her hands displaying the attributes
of sacred jewel, sword, bow, arrow, granary
key, iron wheel, pestle and trident spear; the
head and hands painted in ink contrasting
with the garments and attributes in couched
gold and embroidered polychrome silk
threads; the flanking panels featuring two
large embroidered siddham (seed-syllable)
characters supported on a lotus pedestal
within a circular frame reserved on a silk
1202 damask ground, the right signifying Sa
(Sarasvati) associated with Benzaiten, the left
signifying Amida Buddha; all mounted in a
double-sided frame
11 1/4 x 8in (28.5 x 20.5cm) each panel
21 5/8 x 33in (55 x 84cm)
US$6,000 - 8,000

80 | BONHAMS