A comparison of two sculptural representations of the Buddha from the early and the late Heian periods will demonstrate the stylistic changes that accompanied the increasing "japanization" of Buddhist art at this time. In 784 the Emperor decided to move the court from Nara, headquarters of the great Buddhist monasteries, in order to escape the political interference of the monks. The introduction of Esoteric or Shingon Buddhism in the late eighth century coincided with the decision to locate the court in Heian-Kyo (later Kyoto). Shingon Buddhism and Pure Land Buddhism became, respectively, the prevailing religious modes of the early Heian (sometimes called Jogan) period and late Heian (sometimes called Fujiwara) period. The effect of these strands of Buddhism on Japanese art are reflected in the two sculptures of the Buddha considered here.
The first work is a wooden statue of the Yakushi Nyorai, the healing Buddha or the Buddha of medicine, from the early Heian period (circa 793 A.D.). It is located in the Jingoji temple at Kyoto. The statue was sculpted from a single piece of cypress wood which was left in its natural state. Painted detailing was applied only to the eyes and lips. This bare-wood style derived from the example of Chinese sandalwood sculptures (Kidder 22). The figure stands on a lotus blossom and is back by a simply ornamented halo and screen that barely protrude beyond the outline of the shoulders and head. The statue measures 5 feet 6.8 inches tall and is one of the first standing images of the Yakushi Buddha in Japan. The sculptor's name is not known.
The second work is a wooden statue of the seated Amida Nyorai, the Buddha of unlimited virtue, and is from the Late Heian period. It was carved by the sculptor Jocho (d. 1057) in the first half of the eleventh century. The statue, which is heavily gilded and painted with lacquer, is 9 feet 4 inches in height. The Amida is seated on a golden lotus...