Zenshun

JAPAN; Kamakura period

Zenshun was a Buddhist sculptor and the son of Zenkei, another famous artist of the Zen school of sculpture. He was honored the title of Hokkyo (Dharma Bridge), the third highest rank awarded to Buddhist artists. His early works include assisting in the sculpting of the Sakyamuni Buddha at Saidaiji Temple in Nara alongside his father. Eventually, he was involved in the creation of the statue of Master Eizon. When Zenkei passed away in 1258, Zenshun continued to work on the statue of Manjusri Bodhisattva which was left incomplete at Hannyaji Temple in Nara.
Another work of his is a statue of Prince Shotoku, depicted as a teenage boy making prayers for his ill father, Emperor Yomei (reigned 585–587) of the Asuka period. This statue is also known as the Filial Prince and is listed as an Important Cultural Property currently kept at Gangoji Temple in Nara.
Statues of Master Eizon and Mahakala are kept at Saidaiji Temple in Nara. The one of Master Eizon, which portrayed the monk at the age of 80, was completed by Zenshun, along with artists Shunsho, Zenjitsu, and Gyoshun, and is listed as an Important Cultural Property. The Mahakala statue portrays the figure in the form of an elder wearing a black official hat and straw sandals while carrying a bag. Other works include the restoration of the mandorla, headdress, and handheld objects of the Akasagarbha Bodhisattva at Kakuanji Temple in Nara.