N o r t h  W i n g

Mysterious face
Emmaten

    The noted Meiji period collector Hara Sankei formerly owned this work. It was painted sometime in the 12th century during the Heian period, but the colors are still surprisingly vivid. In that sense, the inherent beauty of Buddhism during that period has been passed down to us in a most satisfying way. It is thought that this was the central image of worship for an esoteric ritual called Emmaten-hou. People of that time believed that there was an invisible power that exerted itself on their lives and therefore prayed to this supernatural force. In the Emmaten-hou service, there were precise votive offerings used in the making of an altar, and requests and prayers were offered to the painting in the hope of Emmaten's manifestation. Moreover, Emmaten has a longer history than Buddha does. He was originally a god of classical Indian mythology, son of the sun god, Vivasvat. Yama was the first person to die and go to the other world on behalf of human beings where he discovered the Pure Land where the inhabitants constantly performed celestial music.
    Eventually, he became a king of that world. During later periods, Yama was given the role of judging the dead and the other world came to have an image similar to Hell. But, in this painting Emmaten has a kind and mysterious expression, and his plump body and limbs emit a warm, reddish glow.
    The nonchalant gaze of the cow seems to evoke a power that overflows with ancient wisdom.

    The Emmaten will be exhibited from Tuesday, November 3, to Sunday, Novembe r 8, when the First Anniversary Exhibition will be open to the public.



Emmaten
Late Heian period, 12th century
Hanging scroll, color and gold on silk
Height, 155.8cm; width, 84.5cm
Important Cultural Property



Frolicking Animals and Figures. (Fragment)

Hanging Scroll
Heian period, 12th century

    A variety of animals are personified in this fragment of a scroll painting from the Kozan-ji Temple collection. The movements of the animals are portrayed in a very lifelike manner, conveying the artist's affectionate treatment of his subject. The swaying autumn plants in the gentle breeze is another highlight of this Yamato-e master-piece. [November 3 through December 15]

Standing Bosatsu
Heian period, 10th century
Single wood-block constriction

    This image is thought to represent Kannon Bosatsu(Sanskrit:Avalokitesvara) , and with the exception of the fronts of both feet and the foot tenon, it has been carved from a single piece of hinoki wood. The figure appears to have originally been decorated with a thin coat of pigment. The extended fingertips stretch down with the palm facing forward a gesture occasionally seen in the older style images of the early Heian period. The round face, small nose, and slightly elongated eyes and mouth create a reserved mood, reminiscent of the late 10th century style produced by the Buddhist sculptor Kojo.
        [September 1 through October 18]


Poem on Shikishi Paper,
known as "Sunsho-an Shikishi"
Attributed to Ki no Tsurayuki,
Heian period, 10th century

    Toward the end of his life, Sakuma Sanekatsu, a military commander who ser ved under Shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa, retired to a teahouse called Sunsho-an at Ryuko-in in the Daitoku-ji Temple. These twelve sheets of shikishi paper were among Sanekatsu's most cherished possessions, which explains the work's title. An autumn poem by Kanemi no Ookimi is written in an elegant hand on decorated paper. Along with the "Tsugi shikishi", attributed to Ono Michikaze, this work is of exceptional significance .
        [November 3 through December 15]


Large Tray
Muromachi period, 15th century
Red lacquered wood

    A slice of a large, old keyaki tree was carved with a yari ganna chisel in to a round tray-shape with a slight depressoin. The top surface of the tray was then coated with an underlayer of black lacquer which was then covered with an overlayer of red lacquer. The areas of remaining plain wood show the marks of a chisel, giving the work a free, unrestrained feel. After long years of use and rubbing, the many layers of lacquer have worn to produce a superb example of the rich surface texture known as Negoro. While the original use of this tray is not known, it is said to have been handed down in the Todaiji collections.
        [September 1 through October 18]


Set of Mukozuke Dishes
with Tatsutagawa Design
Kenzan ware, underglaze and overglaze polychrome
Edo period, 18th century

    Although Kenzan studied the principles of ceramic craftsmanship under Nono mura Ninsei, the great pioneer of Kyoto ceramics, his method of painting was quite different. While Ninsei would paint a piece after applying a transparent glaze, Kenzan devised a method that was exactly the opposite. First, he would lay the groundwork by doing the painting, and later, he would apply the glaze. The result was very striking. Although the shape of each is uniform with the others, the variance of the autumn leaf and flowing water motif within each dish give the viewer an overall impression of rhythmic vitality when looking at the entire set. This set of dishes is considered to be among those most representative of Kenzan's work.
        [November 3 through December 15]