Fine Japanese Art (JAP1020) Wed, 28th Oct 2020 Lot 164

Starting price: €1250 Estimate: €2500 KOGETSU: A PAIR OF FINE WOOD OKIMONO OF NIO By Kogetsu, signed Kogetsu Japan, 19th century

The temple guardians deftly carved with wrathful expressions, emaciated rib cages, and muscular arms, wearing flowing skirts with heavenly bands, the arms and torsos left bare. Note the many fine details, such as the neatly incised hair and brows as well as the skillfully carved faces. Signed KOGETSU to the underside of one of the Nio’s band.

Nio or Kongorikishi are two wrathful and muscular guardians of the Buddha standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples in East Asian Buddhism in the form of frightening wrestler-like statues. They are dharmapala manifestations of the bodhisattva Vajrapani, the oldest and most powerful of the Mahayana Buddhist pantheon. According to Japanese tradition, they travelled with Gautama Buddha to protect him. Within the generally pacifist tradition of Buddhism, stories of dharmapalas justified the use of physical force to protect cherished values and beliefs against evil. Nio are also seen as a manifestation of Mahasthamaprapta, the bodhisattva of power that flanks Amitabha in Pure Land Buddhism and as Vajrasattva in Tibetan Buddhism. They are usually a pair offigures that stand under a separate temple entrance gate usually called Niomon in Japan. The right statue is called Misshaku Kongo (or Agyo) and has his mouth open, and the left statue is called Naraen Kongo (or Ungyo) and has his mouth closed. Similar to Alpha and Omega in Christianity, they signify “everything”.

HEIGHT 26 cm and 26.3 cm

Condition: Few small natural age cracks here and there, otherwise in very good condition with few minor traces of wear. Provenance: British collection.