Kofukuji Temple East Golden Hall: Four Heavenly Kings

JAPAN, Nara; Heian period

These statues were created from single blocks of wood. Details like the hair and armor ornaments were molded from sawdust mixed with paint, while the core of the garments and the bristling hair of the evil spirits they trample are composed of wire, later pasted with linen and thickly coated in more sawdust and paint. These techniques were used during the Nara period (710–794). They were listed as National Treasures in 1952.
Dhrtarastra, Heavenly King of the East, holds a jewel in his right hand and a sword in his left hand. The remaining figures all hold a trident in their left hands but are otherwise differentiated by what they hold in their right hands. Virupaksa, Heavenly King of the West, raises a snaring rope, Vaisravana of the North holds a pagoda, and Virudhaka of the South has his right hand resting on his waist. Their staring eyes bulge beneath slanted brows and their mouths are set ferociously. Dressed in full sets of armor, each figure stands in a dominating posture. The folds of their garments are deeply carved and intricately portrayed. The stature of these Heavenly Kings are quite stocky, which is a style mostly seen during the Heian period (794–1185).