Unkei: The Great Master of Buddhist Sculpture

Active in the late Heian (794–1185) and early Kamakura (1192–1333) periods, Unkei is considered Japan's greatest master of Buddhist sculpture. Working during a period of political upheaval, when the centre of power shifted from the aristocracy in Kyoto to the samurai in Kamakura, Unkei brought a revolutionary strain of realism into the realm of religious art, depicting buddhas, bodhisattvas and other figures of Buddhist lore in stark, striking terms. The National Museum's comprehensive look at his life and work features displays of statues borrowed from temples across the country, including the stately 'Four Heavenly Kings', a registered national treasure composed of four sculptures each over two metres tall, as well as art by Unkei's father and two sons.