Highly Important Wood Sculpture Fudo Myo-o (Acala)

S O L D

Highly Important Wood Sculpture Fudo Myo-o (Acala)

Edo period (1615-1868), early 18th century; high 60 cm.

Highly Important Wood Sculpture Fudo Myo-o (Acala). The figure shown seated cross-legged modeled with the soft figure of a youth but with a fierce facial expression with the upper teeth and fangs biting the lower lip and the eyebrows embellished with gilt, a lotus crown adorning the figure’s head and the hair swept to one side in a braid down the left shoulder, a kurikara (Buddhist sword) held in the right hand and a weighted rope in the left (both later additions), the robes draped around his waist and over the left shoulder, the eyes inlaid in crystal; with gilt-metal jewelry; a large separately carved flame nimbus emanating from the rear painted in red with gilt highlights, the six-step base decorated in gilt and with a lengthy inscription on the base.

Reference: Similar  polychrome wood figure of Fudo Myo-o (Acala) has been included in the Kamakura Realism and Spirituality in the Sculpture of Japan, p. 54-55,  Ive Covaci; Asia Society Museum in association with Yele University Press, New Haven and London