Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 8. (Budapest, 1965)
HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Horváth, Tibor: Buddha relief with lotus pedestal from the Kamakura period
1 n the Muromachi period. In our specimen, the lotus pedestal is not embossed, but marked by carving, it was obviously a secondary, simplified process. The hair and ushnisha are similarly marked by carving. At the same time, the employment of carving did not mean a more considerable difference in age. The high standards of modelling, the quality of bronze would speak against this. On the basis of the latter characteristics we may date it to the 13th—14th century, i. e., to the Kamakura period. It is more difficult to determine the original use of the wooden base of the bronze Buddha relief. We could not find any similar ones, either in books or periodicals. In all probability, the reason for this, is the fact that the Japanese Buddhist, or ryöbü-shintö cult objects have been so far only occasionally dealt with. The pedestal in its original function might have comprised a round object, fitted to its upper part. This was probably, closely adjusted to the hollow of the upper halo. We may imagine a bronze mirror (kyözö) depicting the gods engraved on its polished surface, since we find two holes in the middle of the round halo (Fig. 3.) which could have served to affix the mirror by means of a silk cord led through the knob of it. The border of the halo was filled with a series of ornaments, laid on roughly and imitating tongues of flame (Fig. 4.) so that it conveys the impression of a raised relief ornament which was made by deepening the background. This border was repainted with a darker red, lacquer-like paint. The lotus pedestal was prepared by carved parts. With the vase-like part, which looks as though it was covered with a kerchief, it belongs to a characteristic type of lotus pedestals, the most notable example of this pertains to a statue of Aizen-Myöö in Jingö-ji, 8 made by Keen busshi at the age of 69 in 1275. Our pedestal might have been made either about the same time, or, and this is still more likely, somewhat later, in the last quarter of the 13th century. Beside the identity of form, this dating is well supported by the use of the kirikane (cut gold plate) which occurs on the second scale (kamachiza) of the pedestal in oblong form and in double or treble groups, further in the upper part of the lotus leaves as single narrow lines providing the usual division of the lotus leaves. The motif of the lotus leaves is richly painted with red, darker and lighter green and some deeper colours. In the narrow section of the vase-shaped central part above the kerchief, we find scroll motifs painted with India ink on a yellow ground. The brushwork of this part is light and schematical, as though is was sketched, thus interpreting in a more intimate way the art practice of the age rather than the strictly designed sharito motif painted on the lotus leaves of this pedestal (Fig. 5.). This supposedly mirror-holder pedestal is a direct continuation, though with a changed character in its style, of such magnificent art relics as the small-sized wooden carved and painted disc on lotus pedestal discovered recently in the statue of Byödö-in Amida Nyorai, which is dated to 1053. 9 Its vivid colours, careful painting are very characteristic of its age, the Fujiwara period. 8 Nihon bijutsu taikei, Chôkoku, p. 191. 9 Art Treasures of Japan I. Tökyö, Kokusai Bunka Shinkökai, 1960. vignette 4, pp. 131 —2. For the drawings of Figs. 4 and 5, I am indebted to Éva Cseh, assistantcurator of our Museum.
