Head of a Guardian, 13th century (Hinoki wood with lacquer on cloth, pigment, rock crystal,...

This dramatic head once appeared atop the giant, muscular figure of a shitenn?, or guardian figure, one of four surrounding an even larger figure of a Buddha that served as the primary focus for worship in a temple. The guardians stood in aggressive postures, fending off any evil that might come to the temple. With its crystal eyes and bright-green skin, this figure must have been an intimidating presence in the dimly lit temple interior. In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), Japanese sculptors introduced a new degree of naturalism and expression to previously idealized and serene Buddhist subjects. This head came from the collection of K?fuku-ji, an important temple in the city of Nara.