AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE AND IMPRESSIVE TWO-PANEL BYOBU SCREEN DEPICTING NIO GUARDIANS, KAMAKURA TO EARLY MUROMACHI
Lot 139 - JPN0625

Japan, 14^th century, Kamakura period (1185-1333) to early Muromachi period (1333-1573)

Ink, gouache, watercolors, and gold paint on paper, mounted with silk brocade on two panels set within a black-lacquered frame with metal fittings. Each panel is boldly painted with a Nio guardian standing in powerful contrapposto, Agyo with his mouth agape in a menacing grin and Ungyo with closed mouth, his lips pursed in a puckered frown. Well detailed with muscular bodies, flowing robes, and billowing garlands brilliantly captured by the artist, their faces with fierce expressions marked by bulging gold eyes and furrowed brows.

SIZE 196.7 x 180 cm

Condition: Good condition with some wear commensurate with age, scratches, and flaking to paint. Presenting very well.
Provenance: From a private collection in Los Angeles, California, USA.

The present screen, likely intended for use in a temple setting, is difficult to date as there are hardly any surviving examples from this period of byobu, which were imported from China during the 7^th-8^th century. The two-paneled setup, bold painting style, expressive gold eyes, overall wear and browning of the paper, and the silk mounting are all consistent with our dating to the 14^th century.

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 deity of the Mahayana Buddhist pantheon. According to Japanese tradition, they traveled 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 of figures that stand under a separate temple entrance gate, usually called Niomon in Japan.

Museum comparison:
Compare a related painting of Fudo Myo-o with similar gold eyes, dated to the 13^th century, 173 x 107.3 cm, in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, object number B70D2.

Auction comparison:
Compare a related painting of Aysen Myo-o, dated to the Kamakura period, 14^th century, 113.5 x 61 cm, at Sotheby’s, 12 June 2018, lot 186 (sold for EUR 50,000).