http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/109112/guardian-figure-one-of-a-pair-gallery-label-current ArtsConnectEd.org Art Collector Set: Guardian figure, one of a pair: Gallery Label - Current http://www.artsconnected.org/images/favicon.png http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/109112/guardian-figure-one-of-a-pair-gallery-label-current 16 16 http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/109112/guardian-figure-one-of-a-pair-gallery-label-current Fri, 01 Jun 2001 00:00:00 -0400 <table cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td class="detail_label">Title</td> <td><h3>Guardian figure, one of a pair: Gallery Label - Current</h3></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="detail_label">Author</td> <td><h3>Minneapolis Institute of Arts</h3></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="detail_label">Date</td> <td><h3>2001-05-17</h3></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="detail_label" style="padding-right:7px;">Institution</td> <td>Minneapolis Institute of Arts</td> </tr> </table><br/>Ni-o_, literally "two kings," are guardian images which flank the entrances of Buddhist temples. Befitting their role as protectors of the Buddhist faith, they are usually depicted as ferocious, semi-nude figures with exaggerated musculature and facial expressions. They are represented as uttering the cosmic sounds of "a" (open-mouthed) and "un" the first and last letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, symbolizing the beginning and ending of all things, thus reminding us of the brevity of life. The hyper-realism and full-plasticity of these figures was achieved through the <i>yosegi</i> technique of multiple block construction. Originally, both images would have been brightly painted over a layer of black lacquer. http://www.artsconnected.org/resource/109112/guardian-figure-one-of-a-pair-gallery-label-current Ni-o_, literally "two kings," are guardian images which flank the entrances of Buddhist temples. Befitting their role as protectors of the Buddhist faith, they are usually depicted as ferocious, semi-nude figures with exaggerated musculature and facial expressions. They are represented as uttering the cosmic sounds of "a" (open-mouthed) and "un" the first and last letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, symbolizing the beginning and ending of all things, thus reminding us of the brevity of life. The hyper-realism and full-plasticity of these figures was achieved through the yosegi technique of multiple block construction. Originally, both images would have been brightly painted over a layer of black lacquer." type="image/jpeg" />Ni-o_, literally "two kings," are guardian images which flank the entrances of Buddhist temples. Befitting their role as protectors of the Buddhist faith, they are usually depicted as ferocious, semi-nude figures with exaggerated musculature and facial expressions. They are represented as uttering the cosmic sounds of "a" (open-mouthed) and "un" the first and last letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, symbolizing the beginning and ending of all things, thus reminding us of the brevity of life. The hyper-realism and full-plasticity of these figures was achieved through the yosegi technique of multiple block construction. Originally, both images would have been brightly painted over a layer of black lacquer." type="image/jpeg" />Copyright Minneapolis Institute of ArtsMinneapolis Institute of Arts