List of exhibits in the 20th Great Treasure House Exhibition "Appearance of Buddha"
July 18, 1999~August 31
Greetings
Mount Koya is home to the famous National Treasure "Buddha Nirvana Painting," said to be the oldest Nirvana painting in Japan.
This Nirvana painting is thought to have been created in Enkyu 4 (1072) as the principal image for the Joraku-e ceremony in the Golden Hall of the temple, which is believed to have begun around Otoku 3 (1086) during the late Heian period.
This Nirvana painting has an ink-written inscription on the bottom right corner that dates it to April 7, 1086, and is affectionately known as the Otoku Nirvana Painting. It is a treasure of the mountain that has been carefully protected.
This painting depicts the Buddha's passing and receding into the night, and is a masterpiece that skillfully depicts a scene of bodhisattvas, disciples, and various other people all immersed in deep sorrow, accurately expressing the spiritual world of the Japanese, who express their emotions in a reserved manner that is unique to them.
This catalog, which focuses on the Buddha's Nirvana painting, includes X-ray and infrared photographs of the main parts in order to showcase the excellent technical expression of the painting.
We hope that the publication of these scientific photographs will contribute to research into this highly valued Japanese masterpiece and to research into an unknown field.
This Nirvana painting has an ink-written inscription on the bottom right corner that dates it to April 7, 1086, and is affectionately known as the Otoku Nirvana Painting. It is a treasure of the mountain that has been carefully protected.
This painting depicts the Buddha's passing and receding into the night, and is a masterpiece that skillfully depicts a scene of bodhisattvas, disciples, and various other people all immersed in deep sorrow, accurately expressing the spiritual world of the Japanese, who express their emotions in a reserved manner that is unique to them.
This catalog, which focuses on the Buddha's Nirvana painting, includes X-ray and infrared photographs of the main parts in order to showcase the excellent technical expression of the painting.
We hope that the publication of these scientific photographs will contribute to research into this highly valued Japanese masterpiece and to research into an unknown field.
July 18, 1999 Koyasan Reihokan Museum Director Koei Yamaguchi