Kongobuji Temple: Garlands

JAPAN, Wakayama, Ito; Kamakura period

These garlands were originally used to decorate the altar in Kongobuji Temple. The two garlands are similar in material, color and ornamentation. Both garlands measure 28 cm high, 32.3 cm wide, and 1.6 cm thick. The wooden surface was covered in linen, lacquered in black, primed with a clay-based white slip, and then painted with the images of Cintamanicakra Avalokitesvara and Akasagarbha Bodhisattva. Each Bodhisattva wears a crown and holds a long-stemmed lotus in the left hand and a flaming pearl in the right. They sit on lotus thrones which float on clouds. At the top, there is a ring embedded in an eight-petal lotus. Bronze chains with bells attached hang from the lower edge.