itakouhai　板光背

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Lit. board nimbus. A halo *kouhai 光背 on a Buddhist statue, carved from one or more wooden boards. Surface designs in paint, lacquer, or relief carving *ukibori 浮彫 are used to create the head halo *zukou 頭光, body halo *shinkou 身光, ornaments such as flames, clouds and flowers, miniature Buddha figures *kebutsu 化仏 or heavenly beings *hiten 飛天. Most common in the Heian period in the Nara area, examples are found on the Shaka Nyorairyuuzou 釈迦如来立像 (late 9c) and Jizou Bosatsuzou 地蔵菩薩像 (10c) in Murouji Kondou 室生寺金堂, Nara. Itakouhai have also been found in Shikoku 四国, Kyuushuu 九州 and western Japan, for example in Kitadera 北寺 and Burakuji 豊楽寺, Kouchi prefecture.

REFERENCES:

*funagata kouhai 舟形光背, *hiten kouhai 飛天光背, *kyoshinkou 挙身光.

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