Shogun Manpuku

JAPAN; Nara period

Shogun Manpuku was a Buddhist sculptor who, based on his family name “Shogun,” is thought to be a descendant of a line of craftsmen that originated from the Baekje Kingdom (present day Korea).
He was part of the team of sculptors who created the renowned collection of statues in the West Golden Hall at Kofukuji Temple in Nara under an imperial order by Empress Komyo in 734, including 32 statues sculpted in accordance to descriptions of the assembly of the Vulture Peak in the Lotus Sutra. Using the expensive and fickle hollow dry lacquer technique, the statues were sculpted by first creating a rough core modeled in clay, after which hemp cloth soaked in lacquer was layered around the surface, allowing time to dry in between each. The clay core was subsequently removed, thus resulting in a hollow final form which was often reinforced with a thin wooden skeletal frame. These statues are representative of the renowned hollow dry lacquer works from the Nara period (710–794), many of which were created in the imperial-designated sculpting center that Shogun Manpuku was appointed lead sculptor.
Statues by Shogun Manpuku include the Ten Great Disciples and Eight Classes of Dharma Protectors, all of which are part of the 32 statues in the West Golden Hall of Kofukuji Temple in Nara and are listed as National Treasures of Japan. Among the Eight Classes of Dharma Protectors, the statue of Asura has become famous for its skillful embodiment of innocence and integrity. Of the Ten Great Disciples, however, only six are still in existence, namely Sariputra, Maudgalyayana, Subhuti, Purna, Katyayana, and Rahula. Each statue measures between 146 cm and 154.8 cm, and also comprises a portion of the collection at the National Treasure Museum of Kofukuji Temple in Nara.