Koen

JAPAN; Kamakura period

Koen, the son of Koun and an apprentice to his uncle Tankei, was the grandson of the renowned sculptor Unkei. He was another Busshi of the Kei school of sculpting. He achieved the second highest rank of Hogen (Dharma Eye) within the Buddhist sculptor community in Japan.
Between 1251 and 1254, Koen assisted Tankei in the sculpting of the seated Thousand-Armed Avalokitesvara at Sanjusangendo Temple, which was completed by Koen himself in 1265 after the passing of Tankei. His sculptures inherited the realistic style of the Kei school, but often alluded towards more of the enigmatic presentation that was seen in works of the late Kamakura period.
Sculptures by Koen include Manjusri Bodhisattva and Attendants, Citragupta, Acala and Eight Attendants, and Ragaraja, all of which are listed as Important Cultural Properties. The Manjusri Bodhisattva and Attendants, which is representative of Koen’s body of work, displays a unique arrangement in which each statue presents itself in an upright and vigorous form. This work was originally part of the collection in Kofukuji Temple in Nara, but it is currently housed in the Tokyo National Museum. His other sculptural work, Yama, which is kept in Byakugoji Temple, is also listed as Important Cultural Property.