十二天面 梵天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
The Twelve Devas are divine beings presiding over the eight directions plus heaven, earth, and the sun and moon. They have their origins in Hindu deities. Representations of the Twelve Devas in extant Japanese artworks are mostly found in paintings, and masks such as these are extremely rare. The Kyoto National Museum houses seven of the masks originally preserved at Toji Temple. Two more masks presumably from the same set are in the collection of the Honolulu Museum in Hawaii.
十二天面 伊舍那天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
It is thought that at Toji Temple, the masks were initially used on the occasion of the Kanjo-e (consecration ceremony), but after undergoing repair work, they were appropriated for use in the Kuyo-e (dedication ceremony) for the temple’s pagoda. In the late 10th century, Kojo, father of renowned Buddhist sculptor, Jocho, organized Buddhist sculptors into workshops, and it was at these workshops that many of the period’s sophisticated Buddhist images were created.
十二天面 火天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
These masks share many of the stylistic characteristics of Buddhist sculptures made in the late 10th century, and are thought to be the Twelve Deva Masks that records state were rescued from the fire that destroyed Toji Temple’s treasure hall in the year 1000.
十二天面 梵天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
Bon-ten (Brahman)
十二天面 帝釈天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
帝釈天
十二天面 風天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
風天
十二天面 伊舍那天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
伊舍那天
十二天面 毘沙門天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
毘沙門天
十二天面 日天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
日天
十二天面 火天(10th Century) - 作者: 不明京都国立博物館
火天
かつて東寺に伝来した十二天面で、そのうちの7面が京都国立博物館の所蔵となっている。また、これらと一連のものであったと考えられる面が、ハワイのホノルル美術館に2面所蔵されている。