A Study on the Common Sculptural Norms and Their Application in Tenpyo Sculpture

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00195
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 01060:History of arts-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Tachibana University
• Principal Investigator: Kobayashi Yuko 京都橘大学, 文学部, 教授 (30409601)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 天平彫刻 / 奈良時代 / 官営造仏所 / 造仏

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In many ancient temples, the principal Buddha statues were made as Joroku Buddhas. The term "Joroku" is an abbreviation referring to Shakyamuni's height being sixteen shaku (about 4.8m). Seated statues are half this height, at eight shaku (about 2.4m), and these are also referred to as Joroku Buddhas. The size of Buddha statues is thus indicated by their height, but only the height is mentioned in scriptures and ancient Japanese documents. Unlike architecture and crafts, why did Buddha statues only require information about their height? This is the purpose of this study.
The researcher first hypothesized the existence of a standard value = a common sculptural norm used when planning proportions and conducted image analysis of examples produced in Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and China from the 7th to 8th centuries. Based on this, and through examining literature and previous studies, the researcher concluded that there is a standard value at certain points of the statue height.

Free Research Field

美術史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究で明らかにしようと試みた７、８世紀の造仏は、寺院造営を担う役所である造寺司の下位組織たる官営造仏所が牽引していた。そこには当時最高の技術を有す工人が所属し、最新のデザインと素材を用いて次々に新しい仏像を生み出していたのである。とはいえ現存作例をみると、似通ったプロポーションや顔立ちの仏像が多い。これら仏像制作の一端を研究することは美術史ばかりでなく、奈良時代文化の源流たる中国唐代や朝鮮半島といった東アジアを包括的に理解する手助けとなろう。さらには多くの人々が「仏像のつくりかた」の一部を知ることで、歴史学を通じて日本の古き美に興味を抱き、未来へ貴重な文化遺産を伝えていく意識を高められよう。