Jouchouyou 　定朝様

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

A style of sculpture created by the Buddhist sculptor *busshi 仏師 Jouchou 定朝 (?-1057), and imitated by later artists. The style is typified by Jouchou's Amida Nyoraizou 阿弥陀如来像 (wood and gold-leaf, 1053) in Byoudouin *Hououdou 平等院鳳凰堂, Kyoto. The figure is seated cross-legged with the knees wide and low. The chest is flat and broad, and the drapery folds *emon 衣文 are carved in low parallel ridges. The round face has serene expression known as enman gusoku 円満具足, meaning fully-rounded and perfect, lacking in nothing and was thought to represent a state of complete enlightenment, and to express the true form of Buddha Hotoke-no-Hon'you 仏の本様. Admired for its simplicity and gentle quality. Jouchou's work was regarded as the perfect representation of Japanese style *wayou 和様, as distinct from Chinese style images. Technically, Jouchou is also credited with having developed the jointed-block method *yoseki-zukuri 寄木造 to its full potential. His works set standard criteria of style and proportion which later artists used as a model, particularly for seated Amida Nyoraizou 阿弥陀如来像. Jouchouyou is best seen in the work of Kyoto sculptors *kyoto busshi 京都仏師, and his influence also spread to workshops *bussho 仏所 throughout the country from the 11-12c onward. Good examples in Kyoto are seated Amida Nyoraizou in Houkaiji 法界寺 (late 11c), Houkongouin 法金剛院 (1130), and Sanzen-in 三千院 (1148), and examples outside Kyoto include the Amida Nyoraizou (1142) in Kontaiji 金軆寺, Shiga prefecture, and the Amida Sanzonzou 阿弥陀三尊像 (1172) in Daisenji 大山寺, Tottori prefecture.

REFERENCES:

*Enpa 円派, *Inpa 院派

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