Asura statue small framed (Nishijin textile)

This statue of Ashura, a national treasure in the collection of Kofukuji Temple, has three faces, each representing childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood, with slightly different expressions, which are woven together in a truly realistic manner. It is said that Empress Komyo had this statue made in the Nara period (710-794) as a mourning gift for her mother.

The background of the halo is woven with gold threads, and its brilliance is unique to this work, which cannot be seen on actual Buddhist statues. 11 colors of threads are combined in various ways to weave the Buddha image into a three-dimensional, two-dimensional textile world, a work that shows the high artistic quality of Nishijin textiles.