Yamada-den Amida Triad
The Yamada-den Amida Triad, or Hōryūji Treasure N-144, is a 7th-century sculpture from the Asuka period depicting the Amida Triad, represented by the Buddha Amitābha, accompanied by the Bodhisattvas Kannon and Seishi (Mahasthamaprapta). Once a part of Hōryū-ji, it is currently owned by the Tokyo National Museum as part of the Hōryū-ji Treasure Gallery. It is designated an Important Cultural Property. It is the oldest depiction of the Amida Triad in Japanese art.
History
Hōryū-ji was first established by Prince Shōtoku in the year 607, presenting an emergence and establishment of Japanese Buddhism. Subsequently in the Asuka period, the Hakuhō period presented the rapid expansion of Buddhist thought and aesthetics, with strong influence from the Northern Wei, Sui, and Tang dynasties.The reverse of the statue base reveals a description attesting to a possible origin: Yamada-den-no-zō, or "Yamada Hall Statue", with Yamada, likely referring to Yamada-dera, founded by Soga no Kurayamada no Ishikawa no Maro. Whether the statue was an image at Yamada-dera before its transfer to Hōryū-ji remains uncertain.
During the Meiji era in 1878, the Imperial Household acquired 319 artifacts from Hōryū-ji via donation, including the Amida Triad, whereupon it was transferred to the Tokyo National Museum collection in 1949, receiving its designation as N-144.
On 29 May 1965, it received the designation of Important Cultural Property by the Agency for Cultural Affairs under Catalogue No. 03177.
The transfer from Hōryū-ji presented the initiation and expansion of scholarship of Asuka art, of which as of 2024, 151 statues from the era have been identified so far.
Description
The Yamada-den Triad consists of detachable parts consisting of gilded bronze. The Amida Triad has been identified based upon the corresponding bodhisattvas, the water-jug in the crown of the left bodhisattva denotes it as Seishi, and the right bodhisattva is identified as Kannon based upon the Buddha in their crown, therefore identifying the central Buddha as Amitābha.The bodhisattvas are depicted with tapered chest, hip flare, and plank-like lower body, with naturalized proportions, presenting a later stage of Asuka art, categorized as a Group III sculpture. Northern Qi and Sui convention is followed with the bodhisattvas' style of crown and jewelry, indicating Japan's quick adaptation to the trends of the time in China.
Amida is seen distinct from the body conventions, his body fully robed, chest puffed out, though the folds of the robes denote positioning of his otherwise covered limbs.