Amida Buddha, 11th century-12th century ::

Details

Other Title

Seated image of Amida Buddha

Place where the work was made

Japan

Cultural origin

Pure land sect (Japan)

Period

Heian period 794 - 1185 → Japan

Date

11th century-12th century

Media category

Sculpture

Materials used

nutmeg wood with black lacquer and traces of gold leaf

Dimensions

96.8 cm :

a - figure, 53.5 x 40 cm

b - stand, 57 x 50 cm

Signature & date

Not signed. Not dated.

Credit

Purchased with funds provided by the WH Nolan Bequest 1984

Location

South Building, lower level 1, Asian Lantern galleries

Accession number

119.1984.a-b

Copyright

Reproduction requests

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About

This classic image of the Amida Buddha echoes the qualities of formality and spiritual serenity so characteristic of the Buddhist art of Japan. The personification of eternal life, compassion and boundless light, Amida is the Buddha who reigns over the Western Paradise. He is the central deity of the Pure Land sect of Buddhism that had its foundations in the teachings of the fourth-century Chinese monk Hui Yuan, and grew to become the most popular sect of the faith in East Asia. Central to its teachings is the doctrine that for rebirth in the Pure Land nothing more than the constant invocation of the name of Amida is required. In Japan, under the inspiration of the Heian period monk Genshin (942-1017), the sect gained immense influence: not only through its promise of a passage to the Paradise, but also through Genshin's colourful descriptions of the Western Paradise and the beguiling imagery and art they stimulated. Carved from a hard, dense nutmeg wood - with that inherent feeling for the qualities of the material for which the Japanese artist and craftsman are so admired - the image conveys the peace, harmony and spiritual certainty that is the promise of the Western Paradise of Amida.

Art Gallery Handbook, 1999. pg. 268.

Places

Where the work was made

Japan

Exhibition history

Shown in 5 exhibitions

Buddha: Radiant awakening, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 10 Nov 2001–24 Feb 2002
Conversations through the Asian collections, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 25 Oct 2014–13 Mar 2016
Glorious, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 27 May 2017–06 Jan 2019
Walking with gods, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 01 Jun 2019–05 Jan 2020
Elemental, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 30 Jul 2022–2024

Bibliography

Referenced in 10 publications

Adam Geczy, Art Asia Pacific [Issue 35], 'Buddha: Radiant awakening', pg. 29-31, St Leonards, Jul 2002-Sep 2002, 29 (colour illus.), 30-31.
Bruce James, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian Collection: East Asia', pg. 246-287, Sydney, 1999, 268 (colour illus.).
Jackie Menzies (Editor), The Asian Collections Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'The art of Buddhism and other worlds', Sydney, 2003, 191 (colour illus.).
Jackie Menzies (Editor), Buddha: Radiant awakening, Sydney, 2001, 105 (colour illus.), 186. cat.no. 77
Jackie Menzies, AGNSW Collections, 'Asian Art - India, South-East Asia, China, Tibet, Korea, Japan', pg. 173-228, Sydney, 1994, 212 (colour illus.).
Jackie Menzies, Asian Collection Handbook, Art Gallery of New South Wales, 'Introduction', pg. 9-17, Sydney, 1990, 14 (illus.).
Jacqueline Menzies, Art Gallery of New South Wales handbook, 'Asian', pg. 72-93, Sydney, 1988, 78, 80 (illus.).
Justin Paton, Look, Conversations. A new way to engage with the Gallery's Asian art, pg 22-13, Sydney, Oct 2014, 23.
Public Programmes Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Adventures in Asia. An education kit for the Asian gallery, Sydney, 2003, 9 (colour illus.). card no.9
Public Programmes Department, Art Gallery of New South Wales and The Japan Foundation (Editors), Art speaks Japanese: Japanese language education kit from the collection of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2007, colour illus. card no. 01

Provenance

Setsu Gatodo Co. Ltd., Fine Arts & Antiquities, Apr 1983-May 1984, Chuo-ku/Tokyo/Japan, purchased by the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 1984.