Unkei ( ja, 運慶; – 1223) was a Japanese

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

of the

Kei school The was a Japanese school (style) of Buddhist sculpture which emerged in the early Kamakura period (c. 1200). Based in Nara, it was the dominant school in Buddhist sculpture in Japan into the 14th century, and remained influential until the 1 ...

, which flourished in the

Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle bet ...

. He specialized in statues of the

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...

and other important Buddhist figures. Unkei's early works are fairly traditional, similar in style to pieces by his father, Kōkei. However, the sculptures he produced for the

Tōdai-ji is a Buddhist temple complex that was once one of the powerful Nanto Shichi Daiji, Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Nara, Nara, Japan. Though it was originally founded in the year 738 CE, Tōdai-ji was not opened until the year ...

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...

show a flair for realism different from anything Japan had seen before. Today, Unkei is the best known of the Kei artists, and many art historians consider him its "most distinguished member".Varley 94.

Career

Many extant works are said to be his, but the first that can be attributed to him with any certainty is a Dainichi Nyorai at Enjō-ji in

(1176). Unkei was a devout

Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

, and records from 1183 (

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...

end) show that he transcribed two copies of the ''

Lotus Sutra The ''Lotus Sūtra'' ( zh, 妙法蓮華經; sa, सद्धर्मपुण्डरीकसूत्रम्, translit=Saddharma Puṇḍarīka Sūtram, lit=Sūtra on the White Lotus of the True Dharma, italic=) is one of the most influ ...

'' with the aid of two

calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

monks and a woman sponsor named Akomaro. In the works' colophon, Unkei gives the names of all involved in performing the ritual obeisance ('' raihai'') during the project's duration; the list includes Unkei himself and several members of his school. Unkei further records that he tallied the lines copied at the end of each day and then had devotees bow three times and chant the "august title" (likely '' daimoku'') and the ''

nembutsu Nianfo (, Japanese: , , vi, niệm Phật) is a term commonly seen in Pure Land Buddhism. In the context of Pure Land practice, it generally refers to the repetition of the name of Amitābha. It is a translation of Sanskrit '' '' (or, "recolle ...

'' for each one. In all, Unkei records that "During the copying, the above persons bowed fifty thousand times and hantedthe ''nenbutsu'' one hundred thousand times, and the august title of the ''Lotus Sutra'', one hundred thousand times." In 1203, Unkei worked with

Kaikei was a Japanese Busshi (sculptor of Buddha statue) of Kamakura period, known alongside Unkei. Because many busshi of the school have a name including ''kei'' (慶), his school is called ''Kei-ha'' (Kei school). Kaikei being also called Annami-da ...

, two other master sculptors, and 16 assistants to create two guardian figures for the gates of the Nandaimon (Great South Gate) of

. The statues, known as the Kongō Rikishi or

Niō 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 Vajra ...

, are 26 feet tall.Paine 110. The team finished the figures in 72 days using the ''

yosegi (lit., " parquet work") is a type of traditional Japanese marquetry developed in Edo period Japan in the town of . Resembling a type of mosaic, is created through the combination of fine oblong rods of wood chosen for their grain, texture and ...

'' technique of sculpting various pieces of wood separately and then combining them for the finished product.Mason 188. Sometime between 1208 and 1212, Unkei sculpted a figure of a ''Miroku Butsu'' (

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

Maitreya Maitreya (Sanskrit: ) or Metteyya (Pali: ), also Maitreya Buddha or Metteyya Buddha, is regarded as the future Buddha of this world in Buddhist eschatology. As the 5th and final Buddha of the current kalpa, Maitreya's teachings will be aimed at ...

Buddha) at Tōdai-ji, along with several accompanied figures. These included two

bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools ...

, the Shitennō (

Four Heavenly Kings The Four Heavenly Kings are four Buddhist gods, each of whom is believed to watch over one cardinal direction of the world. In Chinese mythology, they are known collectively as the "Fēng Tiáo Yǔ Shùn" () or "Sìdà Tiānwáng" (). In the a ...

), and a pair of Indian ''rakan'' (Sanskrit:

arhat In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अर्हत्) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अरहन्त्, 𑀅𑀭𑀳𑀦𑁆𑀢𑁆) is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved ''Nirvana'' and liberated ...

s) named

Muchaku Asaṅga (, ; Romaji: ''Mujaku'') (fl. 4th century C.E.) was "one of the most important spiritual figures" of Mahayana Buddhism and the "founder of the Yogachara school".Engle, Artemus (translator), Asanga, ''The Bodhisattva Path to Unsurpasse ...

and

Seshin Vasubandhu (; Tibetan: དབྱིག་གཉེན་ ; fl. 4th to 5th century CE) was an influential Buddhist monk and scholar from ''Puruṣapura'' in ancient India, modern day Peshawar, Pakistan. He was a philosopher who wrote commentary ...

. Only the Miroku Butsu and rakan still stand today.Mason 189. After the completion of these works and others at the

Kōfuku-ji is a Buddhist temple that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is the national headquarters of the Hossō school. History Kōfuku-ji has its origin as a temple that was established in 669 b ...

, Unkei moved the Kei school's headquarters to

Kyoto Kyoto (; Japanese: , ''Kyōto'' ), officially , is the capital city of Kyoto Prefecture in Japan. Located in the Kansai region on the island of Honshu, Kyoto forms a part of the Keihanshin metropolitan area along with Osaka and Kobe. , the ci ...

. Unkei was chiefly acting in

and

. However, he traveled to

Kamakura is a city in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Kamakura has an estimated population of 172,929 (1 September 2020) and a population density of 4,359 persons per km² over the total area of . Kamakura was designated as a city on 3 November 1939. Kamak ...

sometimes to do commissions for high-ranking

samurai were the hereditary military nobility and officer caste of medieval and early-modern Japan from the late 12th century until their abolition in 1876. They were the well-paid retainers of the '' daimyo'' (the great feudal landholders). They h ...

and administrators of the

shogunate , officially , was the title of the military dictators of Japan during most of the period spanning from 1185 to 1868. Nominally appointed by the Emperor, shoguns were usually the de facto rulers of the country, though during part of the Kamakur ...

. A late 12th century sculpture of

Dainichi Nyorai Vairocana (also Mahāvairocana, sa, वैरोचन) is a cosmic buddha from Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Vairocana is often interpreted, in texts like the ''Avatamsaka Sutra'', as the dharmakāya of the historical Gautama Buddha. In East ...

, attributed to Unkei, sold at auction at

Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...

on March 18, 2008 for US$14.37 million, making it the most expensive Japanese art ever sold.

Style

Unkei's early works are similar in style to those of his father, Kōkei, and contemporary,

. They are fairly traditional and show a certain delicateness. The works Unkei sculpted around 1210 for the Hokuendō (North Octagonal Hall) at Tōdai-ji, on the other hand, are indicative of his fully developed style. By this time, Unkei had begun to stress realism over tradition and solid, muscular forms over ephemeral, delicate ones. Unkei's ''Miroku Butsu'' is in the tradition of previous Buddha figures, including those of his father and ultimately

Tori Busshi Tori Busshi (止利仏師; トリ・ブッシ) was a Japanese sculptor active in the late 6th and early 7th century. He was from the ''Kuratsukuri'' (鞍作, "saddle-maker") clan, and his full title was Shiba no Kuratsukuri-be no Obito Tori Bussh ...

. Like the works of those sculptors, the Buddha is depicted as seated and backed by an intricate

halo Halo, halos or haloes usually refer to: * Halo (optical phenomenon) * Halo (religious iconography), a ring of light around the image of a head HALO, halo, halos or haloes may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Video games * ''Halo'' (franch ...

. However, Unkei's work features further strides toward

realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...

. Crystal inlays cause the eyes to shine, and details are carved deeply and in new detail.Mason 190. Furthermore, Unkei's work does not follow the canon of proportions established by

Jōchō Jōchō (定朝; died 1057 AD), also known as Jōchō Busshi, was a Japanese sculptor of the Heian period. He popularized the '' yosegi'' technique of sculpting a single figure out of many pieces of wood, and he redefined the canon of body propo ...

in the

. Unkei's figure instead has a long torso that does not match the distance between the figures knees (a style used by sculptors for the preceding 150 years). Despite this, Unkei's Buddha does not look unbalanced or unwieldy. Rather, it is a lifelike Buddha who seems kind and empathic. In essence, Unkei created a new style of sculpture. This new realism is especially evident in Unkei's non-Buddha statuary. His Kongō Rikishi guardians stand

contrapposto ''Contrapposto'' () is an Italian term that means "counterpoise". It is used in the visual arts to describe a human figure standing with most of its weight on one foot, so that its shoulders and arms twist off-axis from the hips and legs in the a ...

with dramatic stances. Their musculature, though anatomically incorrect, is well detailed, making them appear to be in mid-movement. These ''Niō'' reflect the warrior lifestyle and samurai ideals to which Unkei was exposed in Kamakura. Unkei's ''rakan'' figures, Mujaku and Seshin, take this realism to an even higher level, making the figures appear almost portrait-like.Noma 85. Both statues sport priestly vestments that frame their bodies realistically. They stand life-size and alone and are fully sculpted in the round as if intended to be viewed from any angle. Mujaku is depicted as a thin man manipulating some sort of holy, cloth-wrapped object. He appears reserved and reflective. Seshin, in contrast, is depicted in mid conversation, gesturing and speaking, an extroverted counterweight to the solemn Mujaku. The men are shown as specific people, not simply members of a stock type.Paine 112. Due to the collaborative nature of sculpture in this period, it is difficult to determine exactly how much of this innovation can be credited to Unkei personally. Regardless of who was responsible, this new style was adopted by Unkei's followers and descendants, including his sons

Tankei Tankei (湛慶 1173 – June 13, 1256) was a Japanese sculptor of the Kei school, which flourished in the Kamakura period. He was the student of and eldest son of the master sculptor Unkei. Famous Works *Statue of ''Sahasrabhuja-arya-avalokiteś ...

, Kōun, Kōben, and

Kōshō was a after ''Kyōtoku'' and before ''Chōroku.'' This period spanned the years from July 1455 through September 1457. The reigning emperor was .Titsingh, Isaac. (1834) ''Annales des empereurs du japon'', pp. 331349. Change of Era * 1455 : The ...

, and carried on until the mid-Kamakura period. Kōben and Kōshō especially would take Unkei's style to new extremes.

Gallery

File:Seshin.jpg,

. 1212. National Treasure File:Muchaku.jpg,

, Kōfuku-ji. 1212. National Treasure File:Miroku Bosatsu by Unkei (Kōfuku-ji, 1).jpg, Miroku Bosatsu, Kōfuku-ji. 1212. National Treasure File:Seated Amida Nyorai and Two Standing Attendants.jpg, Triad of Amida Nyorai, Joraku-ji. 1189. Important Cultural Property File:Dainichi Nyorai by anonymous sculptor.jpg, The statue of Dainichi Nyorai, which is said to have been made by Unkei and set a record of auction of Japanese art works at Christie's. 1193. Important Cultural Property File:Six of the Eight Attendants of Fudō Myōō I.jpg, Three Attendants of Fudō Myōō, Reihōkan. 1197. National Treasures File:Six of the Eight Attendants of Fudō Myōō II.jpg, Three Attendants of Fudō Myōō, Reihōkan. 1197. National Treasures File:Standing Shokannon Bosatsu.jpg, Shokannon Bosatsu, Takisan-ji. 1201. Important Cultural Property File:Todaiji09.JPG, Agyō,

, with

and 13 assistant sculptors. 1203. National Treasure File:Priest Shunjō.jpg, Chōgen, enshrined in the Shunjodo at

. 1206. National Treasure. Attributed to Unkei. File:Seated Jizo Bosatsu by Unkei.jpg, Jizo Bosatsu,

Rokuharamitsu-ji is a Buddhist temple in Kyoto, Japan. Founded by Kūya in 951, the Hondō was burned during the wars at the end of the Heian period. Its replacement of 1363, damaged during the Shintō revival at the beginning of the Meiji period, was restor ...

. Important Cultural Property File:Buddha Head by Unkei.jpg,

Head,

. 1186. Important Cultural Property

Notes

References

* Mason, Penelope (2005). ''History of Japanese Art''. 2nd ed, rev. by Dinwiddie, Donald. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc. * Noma, Seiroku (2003). ''The Arts of Japan: Ancient and Medieval''. Kodansha International. * Paine, Robert Treat, and Soper, Alexander (1981). ''The Art and Architecture of Japan''. 3rd ed. Penguin Books Ltd. * Stone, Jacqueline I. (1998). "Chanting the August Title of the ''Lotus Sutra: Daimoku'': Practices in Classical and Medieval Japan". ''Re-visioning "Kamakura" Buddhism''. University of Hawai'i Press. * Varley, Paul (2000). ''Japanese Culture'', 4th ed. University of Hawai'i Press. {{Authority control Kei school 1150s births 1223 deaths Japanese Buddhists Japanese sculptors 12th-century Japanese people 13th-century Japanese people 12th-century sculptors 13th-century sculptors

Career

Style

Gallery

See also

Notes

References