Gozanze Myo-o 1680

Nakabayashi Gennai created this sculpture of Gozanze Myo-o in Japan sometime between 1650 and 1700 from wood with paint. Look closely, and you’ll see the layers of meaning in the carved wood and pigment. The multiple arms and faces of the deity speak to divine power, yet the hand-worked quality of the sculpture also speaks to human labor. Consider the time and skill required to create such an object. Wood carving in this era was a highly developed craft, with lineages of makers stretching back generations. Each cut of the chisel, each application of paint, was a physical act embedded in a rich cultural history. The sculpture invites us to contemplate the relationship between the spiritual realm and the world of human endeavor. It bridges the divide between the sacred and the secular, reminding us that even the most elevated artistic expressions are rooted in earthly materials, processes, and traditions.