Japan
Nara Period
(8th Century)
painted dry lacquer
height - 81.7 cm
"Ganjin was a Chinese monk who, having made a number of unsuccessful attempts to reach Japan by sea, finally succeeded after he had become blind. He founded the famous Toshodai-ji Temple in Nara. This figure is made of linen saturated in lacquer modelled over a core that was later removed. It ranks as one of the earliest and most moving portraits in the history of Japanese art." (from "The Oriental World")