Buddha Asyura (Ashura, Kôfukuji, Nara)
Saitō Kiyoshi
Description
Saitô Kiyoshi
Japan, 1907–1997
Buddha Ashyura (Ashura, Kôfukuji, Nara)
Shôwa period (1926–89)
1959
Color woodblock print on paper
Gift of Dr. Lawrence Preuss, 1986/2.65
Subject Matter:
This print is one of a series by the artist that evokes, in a highly abstract manner, famous Buddhist sculptures of Nara, the capital of Japan in the 8th century. The subject here is the slender, 8-armed figure of Ashura (in Sanskrit, Asura), dated to 734 and in the collection of Kôfukuji Temple in Nara. Ashura is a deity derived from Hindu beliefs, representing a class of powerful beings who were often in competition with the 'devas' or gods. In Buddhism, these spirits are adopted as protectors of the faith. The Ashura are not Buddhas, despite the title given the print by the artist.
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