A LARGE AND EARLY POLYCHROME-LACQUERED WOOD FIGURE OF A PRIEST, KAMAKURA PERIOD, THE DATING CONFIRMED BY A C14 TEST
Lot 163 - JPN1225

Japan, 13^th-14^th century, Kamakura period (1185-1333)

Scientific Analysis Report: The result of a radiocarbon dating test conducted by Dr. Mikhail G. Buzynnyi, from a sample taken in February 2009 of the present figure, is consistent with the dating of this lot. A copy of the signed report, dated 25 February 2009, accompanies this lot.
Dr. Mikhail Georgievich Buzynnyi (b. 1959) is a Doctor of Biological Sciences specializing in hygiene, radiation, and public health. Since 2003, he has headed the Radiation Monitoring Laboratory at the O. M. Marzieiev Institute for Public Health and is a member of the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine. Over the course of more than thirty years, he has led numerous research initiatives and extensively published on environmental radiological monitoring.

Finely carved, depicted seated at ease on a rectangular stand, with separately carved hands resting on his lap, elegantly attired in a loosely draped robe, delicately adorned with painted floral motifs, its pleated folds gathering naturally around the legs. His face conveying a hieratic expression, distinguished by almond-shaped, rock-crystal eyes, an aquiline nose, and full lips, all framed by prominent ears and a bold, well-defined head.

HEIGHT 59.5 cm (figure) and 65.3 cm (total)

Provenance: From a private collection in the Netherlands.
Condition: Good condition, commensurate with age, with expected wear. Few age cracks and small losses to the fingers of the left hand. Typical rubbing to lacquer with subsequent touchups and areas of later re-lacquering. Few minor nicks and light surface scratches. An attribute held in the right hand likely lost. Overall, the figure still presenting remarkably well.

In addition to representations of Buddhist deities, sculptures of Buddhist founding figures and priests were also created, serving as tributes to their devoted service and exemplary conduct. These wooden sculptures not only honor the spiritual and administrative roles of these individuals within the monastic community but also functioned as models of moral and religious virtue for both monks and lay practitioners. Through their careful craftsmanship and dignified presence, such works conveyed the ideals of discipline, wisdom, and compassion central to Buddhist practice, reinforcing the ethical and spiritual standards that guided daily life in Japanese Buddhist temples.

Museum comparison:
Compare a closely related figure of Shinbutsu dated to the 13^th century, Kamakura period, 74.6 cm tall, designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan, in the Goeido of the Honji-Senjuji Temple, Tsu city, Mie prefecture, placed on the right side of the altar.