Ancient Treasures Come to Tokyo: National Museum Exhibition Highlights Buddhist Sculptor Unkei

The main image of the Northern Round Hall, the seated image of Miroku (Maitreya), Buddha of the future. Standing next to him are Asanga (Mujaku) on the right and Vasubandhu (Seshin) on the left. (© Nippon.com)

The delicate fingertips of the hands held in a mudra, or symbolic hand position, evoke the deep respect people had for Buddhist images in the Nara period (710–94). (© Nippon.com)

The painstaking artistry and detail continues on the back of the images, as seen in the beautiful wave-like ripples of the folds in the robes. (© Nippon.com)

The exhibition brings together all seven of the images sculpted by Unkei and his assistants for the Northern Round Hall in the Kamakura period, presenting the appearance of the hall when the sculptures were new. (© Nippon.com)

The brother philosophers Asanga and Vasubandhu are shining examples of the use of glass crystal eyes, a technique of which Unkei was an acknowledged master. (© Nippon.com)

Today, the four heavenly kings from the Chūkondō (Central Golden Hall) are also national treasures. From left: Jikokuten (Dhṛtarāṣṭra), Zōchōten (Virūḍhaka), Kōmokuten (Virūpākṣa), Tamonten (Vaiśravaṇa). (© Nippon.com)

The expression on this image of Virūḍhaka makes clear his determination to ensure that no evil can approach the sacred presence of the main image. (© Nippon.com)

A photograph of the Northern Round Hall in Nara, at right, adorns the entrance to the exhibition. (© Nippon.com)