Basic research on Buddhist nirvana paintings mainly in the Kyushu region

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26770059
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Fine art history
• Research Institution: Kitakyushu Museum of Natural History and Human History
• Principal Investigator: TOMIOKA YUKO 北九州市立自然史・歴史博物館, 歴史課, 学芸員 (20508957)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 仏涅槃図 / 様式分類

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objectives of this study were (1) to collect high-resolution images of　reclining Buddha images mainly from the Kyushu area and (2) to establish a methodology for stylistic classification of reclining Buddha images. The following is an overview of each of these objectives.
(1) Eighteen paintings of the Nirvana of Buddha were surveyed and photographed, mainly in the Kyushu region. (2) We prepared individual reports on each of the works we surveyed. For the two newly discovered paintings, details were published in a paper.
(2) Several motifs of representative figures appearing in nirvana-related texts were extracted and compared to the data of each work in an attempt to classify the paintings. We were able to confirm that the examples in which the same characteristics can be found in all of these motifs are similar to each other.

Free Research Field

美術史学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

調査を行った仏涅槃図は未紹介作例も多く、中世に遡る作品のうち福岡・開善寺本については論文発表した。また近世の作品でも山口・妙徳寺本は小倉藩の御用絵師・黒川等育の初出作例であり、制作年も判明する基準作例として紹介した。優品の発見は仏涅槃図研究また美術史学全体の発展に寄与する。また調査成果を所有者等と共有することは文化資源としての魅力を伝えることに他ならず、文化財の保存・活用の礎となった。