page_title: Japanese sculpture
section_title: Nara period
hierarchical_section_title: Japanese sculpture / History / Nara period
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: 阿修羅王　　乾漆　 　高約153cm English: ASYURA, lacquer statue(laquer, linen, wood, colour), about 153cm height, ACE733 Français&#160;: Ashura, un des huit protecteurs du Bouddha et de sa Loi, daté 734, statue de laque sèche creuse (laque, tissus, bois, couleurs), H. 1,49 m. Salle dorée occidentale, Kofukuji, Nara.
context_page_description: The sculpture of Japan started from the clay figure. Japanese sculpture received the influence of the Silk Road culture in the 5th century, and received a strong influence from Chinese sculpture afterwards. The influence of the Western world was received since the Meiji era. The sculptures were made at local shops, used for sculpting and painting. Most sculptures were found at areas in front of houses and along walls of important buildings.
  Most of the Japanese sculptures derived from the idol worship in Buddhism or animistic rites of Shinto deity. In particular, sculpture among all the arts came to be most firmly centered on Buddhism. Materials traditionally used were metal—especially bronze—and, more commonly, wood, often lacquered, gilded, or brightly painted.
context_section_description: In 710–793, Japanese sculptors learned high Tang style and produced a style "Tenpyō sculpture", which shows realistic face, massive solid volume, natural drapery, and delicate representation of sentiment. Emperor Shōmu ordered the colossal gilt bronze Vairocana Buddha in Tōdai-ji temple and completed in 752. 
  Although the statue has been destroyed twice and repaired, the minor original part has survived. Among many original works, the Asura in Kōfukuji temple is attractive, which is a dry lacquer statue and show delicate representation of sentiment. The four guardians in Kaidanin: a division of Tōdai-ji temple are masterpiece, which are clay statues.  
  A national official factory Zō Tōdai-ji shi ("Office to build Tōdai-ji Temple") produced many Buddhism sculptures by division of the work for Tōdai-ji and other official temples and temples for novelties. Gilt bronze, dry lacquer, clay, terracotta, repousee, stone, and silver sculptures were made in the factory. Generally the sculptors are secular and got official status and salary. Some private ateliers offered Buddhist icons to people, and some monks made it themselves.
caption: Asura, 733,  Kōfuku-ji
exif: {"Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ReferenceBlackWhite": "[0, 255, 128, 255, 128, 255]", "Image ExifOffset": "162", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0200", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "952", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1255"}