Artwork Page for Prince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi)

Details / Information for Prince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi)

Prince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi)

聖徳太子立像(二歳像)

early 1300s
Measurements
height: 68.6 cm (27 in.)
Public Domain
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Did You Know?

Shōtoku Taishi had several titles. One translates to "the prince of the stable door" because he was said to have been born in the imperial stables.

Description

Two-year old Prince Shōtoku (573?–622?) places his palms together in a gesture called gasshō. Shōtoku played a major role in the introduction of Buddhism to Japan, and devotees of the prince commissioned painted and sculpted images commemorating important moments of his life. At age two, the prince faced east and chanted the name of the Buddha without having been taught the practice. This sculpture captures the fantastic event foreshadowing his future acts.
A dark brown wood sculpture depicts Prince Shōtoku, a toddler who kneels facing forward with hands pressed together at his chest. With a rounded face and shaved head, his crystal eyes are downcast. Bare-chested above a long, dark pleated skirt, the weathered surface shows patches of peeling lacquer while traces of red pigment remain.

Prince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi)

early 1300s

Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333)

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