Japanese Sculpture

One of the art forms in Japan most appreciated in the Western world is sculpture. Sculptors throughout Japanese history have used an extensive variety of media for their work including clay, bronze, stone, dry lacquer, and most importantly wood. In league with the other forms of art, the sculptors showed respect for all of these mediums.

Dogu figurine. Joman Period. Photo: Property of the Kyoto National Museum. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

The earliest forms of sculpture appeared in the Joman period which began in 2200 BC. The Joman period is named for the twisted rope decorations which people made to cover clay pots. These primitive sculptures from this period were often figurines and were made of clay. The purpose of the Joman figurines is still in debate. Some people have suggested that the figurines were dolls for children and others have thought they were images of Japanese deities. All of the early sculptures, however, are both fascinating and puzzling. One example which characterizes the enigmatic figurines is a sculpture from the Joman period which was discovered near Tokyo. The eccentric body and feline-like face do not reveal a great deal about the sculptures subject. Currently, it is not known whether this sculpture depicts an animal or a human figure. Another strange sculpture

from the Joman period is a small figure with a heart-shaped head and a small, circular mouth. Hundreds of years later, the Japanese still continued a tradition of clay sculptures. A type of sculpture which became prominent approximately 1700 years ago was hollow clay cylinders called haniwa. These creations were placed around the stone burial chambers of Japanese emperors and other important officials. Because the chambers were covered with mounds of dirt, the haniwa kept the earth from washing away. The haniwa were of simple form, often taking the form of humans, animals, and sometimes even houses.

Seated Jizo Bosatsu (Kstigarbha Bodhisattva). Kamakura Period. Photo: Property of the Kyoto National Museum. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

One particularly important influence which took shape during the sixth century was the introduction of Buddhism into Japanese society. The religion of Buddhism originated in India and spread to China and Japan. For this reason, much of the sculpture from this period has a distinct Chinese feel. A new variety of media was used including wood, bronze, and gold. Early wooden statues were typically carved from a single tree trunk. Stone was not widely used in Japanese sculpture in this period nor other periods because of its scarcity throughout the countrys history.

Another innovative period in Japanese art was the time between 1185 and 1333, or the Kamakura period. A civil war in 1180 was fought between the two military clans, the Taira and the Minamoto. The Minamoto clan was victorious and they established their new government in the village of Kamakura. In order to please the new military rulers, artists took a new, realistic approach to their artwork. This art included the sculpture which was led by the Kei school of sculptors. This school was led by sculptor Unkei who created realistic masterpieces. Much of early Japanese sculpture, especially from the Joman period is puzzling and difficult to interpret. But the sculpture from all periods of Japanese history is important as it helps to describe Japanese people and their culture.