Hasedera Temple Main Hall: Eleven-Headed Avalokitesvara

JAPAN, Nara, Sakurai; Muromachi period

The original statue was consecrated in 733 and had survived seven outbreaks of fire. The current statue was re-sculpted in 1538. Inscriptions with the names of the sculptors, such as Unso, are found inside the statue. It is listed as an Important Cultural Property.
The burnished figure is assembled from several pieces of cypress wood. The main head is encircled by ten smaller heads bearing different expressions, from wrathful to laughing, with a standing Amitabha Buddha in the center. The heads are adorned with ornate headdresses, with a seated Buddha located at the center. Overlooking them is the face of Amitabha Buddha.
The Bodhisattva wears an intricate necklace and the three lines of a great person is visible on the neck. The face is mustached and the half-opened eyes look downwards with a peaceful expression. The figure’s left hand holds a vase that contains a lotus bud, a mature flower, and a pod, while the right hand holds prayer beads and a staff. Whirlpool-shaped drapery is apparent on the side of the shawl covering the shoulders. This fabric arrangement is characteristic of sculptures from the early Heian period (794–1185).