Kofukuji Temple: Narayana and Guhyapada

JAPAN, Nara; Kamakura period

These life-sized warriors of Narayana and Guhyapada were modeled upon other statues from the Nara period (710–794). They date to around the end of the 12th century or the start of the 13th century. They were originally enshrined in the West Golden Hall of Kofukuji Temple, and are now kept in the temple’s National Treasure Museum. Assembled from carved pieces of polished cypress wood, the figures have jade inlays for eyes. Both were repaired and repainted in 1288. They were listed as National Treasures in 1952.
The furious facial expressions of these warriors are augmented by the stone inlay of their glaring eyes. They stand astride on rocks, turning at the waist and gesticulating with such effort that their muscles bulge and the blood vessels stand out. The skirt knotted at the waist flies to one side with momentum, further adding to the forcefulness of these figures. Their individual characterization mark them as exceptional representations from the early Kamakura period (1185–1333).