Shosoin - Todaiji

Medium: Wood

How it was made: Made in the azekura style (granary), it is constructed of triangularly-cut wood placed one above the other so the inside wall is smooth.  Lofted above ground to reduce moisture.

Period: Nara (Classical)

Stylistically Interesting: Harks back to Yayoi style of architecture

Historical Context: Good example of azekura style

Who built it and why: Constructed around 751 at Todaiji in order to house the many decorative arts that were given in Emperor Shomu's memory.

Mirror with design of four buildings - Takarazuka Tomb

Medium: Bronze

How it was made: Bronze melting

Period: Early Kofun c.300-450

Stylistically Interesting: Bronze engraving shows four buildings from the period (three-bay house raised off the ground, house with walled sides and gabled roof, a pit house, and a raised granary).

Historical Context: Mirrors are important elements within the grave goods of high-status individuals throughout Kofun-period culture.  

Who built it and why:  Meant to accompany people into the afterlife (along with all other grave goods). Some believe they were given to local leaders as evidence that they were representatives or part of the Yamato state.  

Curved Bead - Magatama bead - Kofun period

This image is very similar, but not exact, to the one found in our text.

Medium: Precious stones 

How it was made: Stone carving (?)

Period: Kofun Period 

Stylistically Interesting: Magatama can also come in E-shaped variety.  C-shaped beads are more "ancient and international."

Historical Context: Very important part of the accoutrements of high Japanese rank or stature.  Another grave good but is found more commonly among nobility.

Who made it and why: Most likely commissioned by nobles out of respect for a deceased individual.

Rear Saddle Bow from Fujinoki Tomb

Medium: Gilt Bronze

How it was made: Metal casting and gilding

Period: Late Kofun Period

Stylistically Interesting: Decorated with hexagonal shapes enclosing animal and floral motifs: Chinese symbols such as the dragon, the phoenix, the lion and the elephant; the makara (Indian Buddhism) is also seen.

Historical Context: Very similar to saddle panels found in Korea around the same time which is evidence of a trade network (silk road) existing in Asia.

Who made it and why: Most likely constructed in China given the heavy emphasis on Chinese symbols. Found in an ornamented tomb which means the artifact is meant to follow the individual into the afterlife.

Lady under a Tree - Shosoin, Todaiji

Medium: Ink and color on paper (screen panel)

How it was made: Painted on paper with color and ink

Period: Nara Period

Stylistically Interesting: Painted in the Chinese style but is attributed to a Japanese artist.  Faces and exposed areas of the women's bodies were painted in strong pigments, but the hair and garments were sketched in blank ink (sumi).  Pheasant feathers attached to undetailed areas.

Historical Context: Demonstrates both the level of Chinese influence in Japan, as well as the knowledge that the Japanese have of foreign style.

Who made it and why: Placed in the Shosoin building in order to pay homage to the recently deceased Emperor Shomu.

Objects (beads) excavated from ritual sites at Omiyame Shrine - Kyoto

Medium: Stone

How it was made: Stone working

Period: Asuka/Nara Periods

Stylistically Interesting: Magatama beads used in funeral burials.

Historical Context: Found in the excavation of a Shinto shrine, these cultural practices are still practiced during the 6th and 7th centuries.  Grave Goods or offerings.

Who made it and why: Most likely commissioned by ranking officials/nobility so these goods would follow the deceased into the afterlife.

Honden at Ise - Mie prefecture

Medium: Thatched roofing and Wood joinery (no bracketing)

How it was made: Wood construction only known through familial trade practice

Period: Hahuko Period

Stylistically Interesting: Heavy influence of Yayoi style granary architecture.  Heavily thatched roofs and wood, joinery architecture instead of nails.

Historical Context: Honden at Ise is rebuilt every 20 years and its resources are spread out to other shrines for their upkeep.  Same family will reconstruct the shrine.

Who made it and why: Built to honor Kami (way of the Gods)

Honden at Izumo - Shimane prefecture

Medium: Thatched roofing and Wood joinery (no bracketing)

How it was made: Wood construction only known through familial trade practice

Period: Hahuko Period

Stylistically Interesting: Heavy influence of Yayoi style granary architecture.  Heavily thatched roofs and wood, joinery architecture instead of nails.  Cannot follow the exact model of the shrine at Ise and is not rebuilt every 20 years.

Historical Context: May predate the shrine at Ise but is not tied directly to the Imperial Family

Who made it and why: To honor the Gods

Horyuji Complex - Ikaruga, Nara prefecture

Period: Hakuho Period

How it was made: See slide 67 for plan

Stylistically Interesting: Evidence of cloud bracketing.  Allows for buildlings to be much larger and taller, with significantly winged roofs.  Presence of Kondo and Pagoda.  Kondo is dedicated to active worship; Pagoda is a reliquary which houses an important artifact underneath its stupa influenced tower.

Historical Context: More conservative, moving slowly away from the norm of Asuka-period art.  Also embracing Chinese influence.

Who built it and why: The private temple of Prince Shotoku.  

Plan of Horyuji compound

Period: Hakuho Period

How it was made: Tiled roofing and wood construction with Cloud bracketing (Tang Chinese influence) for both Kondo and Pagoda

Stylistically Interesting: Dots represent the numerous pillars in the compound.  Each of the walls in the kondo are covered with paintings and various protective deities.  Each of the 4 directions have a guardian which protect Buddhism and its adherents from ignorance and attack.

Historical Context: Same as image 66

Who built it and why: Same as image 66

Kondo at Horyuji

Medium: Wood and tile roofing

How it was made: Cloud bracketing, influence from China, allow more intricate and complex roofs to be constructed.  The weight of the roof can be far greater as it the forces are distributed throughout the entire building.

Period: Hakuho Period

Stylistically Interesting: "One enters it, stepping over a high, thick threshold, to find onself before an array of huge statues on a raised altar platform that fills a large proportion of the space.  The room is dark, in contrast to the brightness of the open spaces of the compound, but there is sufficent light to illumine the gilded and painted images of Buddhas, bodhisattvas and guardian deities."

Historical Context: Fulfills one of the purposes of the chaitya hall of ancient India.  Presence of many cultures is evident in Horyuji

Five storied pagoda - Horyuji

Medium: Wood and tile roofing

How it was made: Cloud bracketing, influence from China, allow more intricate and complex roofs to be constructed.  The weight of the roof can be far greater as it the forces are distributed throughout the entire building.

Period: Hakuho Period

Stylistically Interesting: "As a diagram of the universe, it makes manifest the invisible path of the Buddhist practitioner's aspiration, which rises along a vertical axis, the heart pillar of the structure, to unite with the absolute.  Similarly, the bright light of truth can penetrate downward along this vertical axis to illumine our dark illusion."  The pillar a single piece of wood is set, below ground, on a stone which houses various Buddhist artifacts which fulfills the pagoda's primary purpose as a reliquary.

Historical Context: Definite sign of Western influence from China and india.

Daibutsuden, Todaiji

Medium: Wood and tile roof

How it was made: Wood Bracketing.  Entire building was constructed around a massive Buddha figure, giving Daibutsuden its other name as the Great Buddha Hall.

Period: Nara

Stylistically Interesting: The building is absolutely massive and houses the Cosmic Buddha, Birushana Buddha, from which all Buddhas originate.

Historical Context: Emperor Shomu ordered the temple to be built and a massive figure of the Cosmic Buddha to erected that is also open to the public.  Placed Japan on the map equated Emperor Shomu's rule to that of Shotoku.

Haniwa Figure of a farmer

Medium: Clay

How it was made: most likely coiling and/or slab techniques

Period: Kofun Period

Stylistically Interesting: This figure is different from most as it is of a "happy-go-lucky peasant."  Most haniwa figurines placed in burial sites were of armor clad warriors.  These haniwa figurines were placed in formations around the main burial mound in place of a live servant; the figures were meant to follow the deceased into the afterlife.

Historical Context: As time went on, the haniwa become more numerous and more random in design.  Originally limited to a few shapes or idols, the haniwa eventually came to resemble anything that a deceased valued in life that would be useful in the next life.  This is important as it is evidence for how religions change

Who made it and why: Most likely commissioned by those who typically worked with clay.  During this time there was not factory type work and it was only a select few who worked in each field of work.