Page 17 - Fine Japanese Art November 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke
P. 17

5  |   AN IMPORTANT PAIR OF
                                                                     NIO BRONZE GUARDIANS
                                                               Japan, 18th – earlier 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)


                                                               The Kongorikishi cast with a wrathful expression, finely cold-painted,
                                                               both standing on layered rockwork and wearing flowing skirts with
                                                               heavenly bands, their muscular chests and arms left bare. They are
                                                               modelled after Ungyo and Agyo, the two monumental 13th century
                                                               cypress figures at Todaiji temple, Nara, Japan.
                                                               HEIGHT 55 cm (each)
                                                               WEIGHT 14.7 kilograms (both together)

                                                               Condition: Superb condition with only minor wear. Good natural
                                                               patina. Minor losses to painting.
                                                               Provenance: From an old English private collection.
                                                               Nio or Kongorikishi are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the
                                                               Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples
                                                               in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like
                                                               statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva
                                                               Vajrapani, the oldest and most powerful of the Mahayana Buddhist
                                                               pantheon. According to Japanese tradition, they travelled with
                                                               Gautama Buddha to protect him. Within the generally pacifist
                                                               tradition of Buddhism, stories of dharmapalas justified the use of
                                                               physical force to protect cherished values and beliefs against evil.
                                                               Nio are also seen as a manifestation of Mahasthamaprapta, the
                                                               bodhisattva of power that flanks Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism
                                                               and as Vajrasattva in Tibetan Buddhism. They are usually a pair of
                                                               figures that stand under a separate temple entrance gate usually
                                                               called Niomon in Japan. The right statue is called Misshaku Kongo
                                                               and has his mouth open, and the left statue is called Naraen
                                                               Kongo and has his mouth closed. Similar to Alpha and Omega in
                                                               Christianity, they signify “everything”.

                                                               Estimate EUR 5.000,-                         Two Nio who stand in the left (Ungyo) and the right (Agyo)
                                                               Starting price EUR 2.500,-                   of sanmon (gate) at Zentsu-ji, Nara, Japan




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