Artworks

Yellow Fudō (Manjuin copy)

Artwork · Anonymous · 12th century · kakemono · Manjuin

A copy of the Yellow Fudō, the secret treasure (hibutsu) of Onjōji (Mii-dera Temple) that is no longer reproduced: said to recreate the image of a yellow Fudō seen by the monk Enchin in a vision in 838, and first mentioned in his biography of 902. The original probably dates from the second half of the ninth century. Fudō stands facing the viewer, his powerful body filling the picture, his feet apart as if supported by air; this copy adds a rock to stand on. His eyes, outlined in gold with pupils of gold leaf, stare straight ahead, and his body gives off a yellow radiance. 1 Mason 2005, p. 139, fig. 168. ↩ Literatur Mason 2005: Penelope E. Mason, History of Japanese Art, 2nd, Pearson Education LTD. 2005.