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  • (-) Sculpture (107)
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  • Art History (106)
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  • General Terms (3)
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  • Roofing Tiles (1)

Displaying 1 - 100 of 107
Title Contains Image(s) Description Keywords
gachirin 月輪

Also gatsurin, getsurin. A perfectly round circle meant to represent the full moon, a frequently used…

Art History, Sculpture
ganzō 龕像

Images carved in a niche. In a broad sense the term refers to the Buddhist images of high relief carved into the rock walls…

Art History, Sculpture
gasshō 合掌

1 The triangular frame created by joining a pair of cruck-like members *…

Architecture, General Terms, Art History, Sculpture
geki 戟

Also hoko 鉾. A weapon, found as an attribute of fearsome Buddhist figures such as *…

Art History, Sculpture
Genjōraku 還城楽

Return to the castle dance, Alternative names: Genkyōraku 環京楽 (Return to Capital Dance), Genjōraku 還成楽 (Return of One of…

Art History, Sculpture
gigakumen 伎楽面

Masks worn for performances of *gigaku 伎楽, now-lost temple processions and…

Art History, Sculpture
ginbutsu 銀仏

Silver Buddha. Bronze was the most frequent metal used in the production of Buddhist statues. Where silver was used instead…

Art History, Sculpture
gishi 祇支

Also sōgishi 僧祇支 (Sk: Sankaksika). A robe worn by Buddhist priests under the *…

Art History, Sculpture
gochi hōkan 五智宝冠

Also gobutsukan 五仏冠, gobutsu hōkan 五仏宝冠, gochi nyoraikan 五智如来冠, gohō tenkan 五宝天冠. A…

Art History, Sculpture
Gojo 呉女

Maid of (the country of) Wu 呉. The only female mask in the *gigaku 伎楽 repertory…

Art History, Sculpture
gokō 後光

Also written 御光. Aureole. The light emitted from the Buddha. Often expressed as a halo *…

Art History, Sculpture
Gokō 呉公

Lit. Man of (the country of) Wu 呉, a gigaku mask *gigakumen 伎楽面,…

Art History, Sculpture
gokosho 五鈷杵

A short club with five prongs at each end, usually made of gilt bronze. The central grip is encircled by demons' eyes …

Art History, Sculpture
gōzanze-in 降三世印

Lit. mudra of the Vanquisher of the Three Worlds (SK: trailokyavijaya mudra). A mudra or hand gesture *…

Art History, Sculpture
gozō roppu 五臓六腑

The internal organs of the body as defined in Chinese medicine kanpō 漢方. A model of the internal organs, made of…

Art History, Sculpture
gunji 軍持

Also written 君持 or 軍遅. Sanskrit kundika. A vase with two spouts, found as an attribute *…

Art History, Sculpture
gyōgetsukei 仰月形

A smile found on Buddhist images, where both ends of the mouth curve upward into the shape of a crescent moon. This smile is…

Art History, Sculpture
gyokugan 玉眼

Lit. crystal eyes. Eyes made of crystal which were inserted into the head of a wooden buddhist statue in order to produce a…

Art History, Sculpture
gyorinbuki 魚鱗葺

An arrangement of sculpted lotus petals *renben 蓮弁 on a lotus pedestal *…

Art History, Sculpture
gyōsō 形相 All of the visible attributes of a Buddhist figure. These include the countenance, posture, hand positions, and any… Art History, Sculpture
gyōzō 行像

Lit. traveling image. 

1 Buddhist images shown in the position of walking, often used in…

Art History, Sculpture
sabi-urushi 錆漆

Also sabi 錆. A paste made by mixing powdered burnt clay *tonoko 砥の粉…

Art History, Sculpture
saishiki busshi 彩色仏師

Lit. "Buddhist colorist." An artist who applies colored pigment to the nimbus or pedestal of a Buddhist statue. A …

Art History, Sculpture
saishikizō 彩色像

A painted statue, usually a Buddhist image. Saishikizō are colored over the entire surface of the figure;…

Art History, Sculpture
Saisōrō 採桑老

A *bugaku 舞楽 dance and mask *bugakumen…

Art History, Sculpture
Sanbasō 三番叟

1 A pictorial subject taken from the auspicious *kabuki 歌舞伎…

Art History, Painting, Sculpture
sandaibutsu 三大仏 ✓

Lit. "three great Buddhas." The three largest images in the history of Buddhist statuary in Japan. Originally the …

Art History, Sculpture
sandō 三道

Three horizontal grooves in the neck of a Buddha *nyorai 如来 or bodhisattva *…

Art History, Sculpture
sangokubutsu 三国仏

Lit. "three countries Buddha." Buddhist statues made from the fourth to the seventh centuries in Korea. At that time, Korea…

Art History, Sculpture
sanjō bussho 三条仏所

A Buddhist sculpture workshop *bussho 仏所 that was located in Kyoto's Sanjō 三条…

Art History, Sculpture
sanjū-no-tō 三重塔

Three-storied pagodas, most of which are made of wood, but a small percentage are made of stone. See *…

Architecture, Buildings, Sculpture
Sanju 散手

Abbreviation of Sanju hajinraku 散手破陣楽. *Bugaku 舞楽 dance and mask *…

Art History, Sculpture
sanjūnisō 三十二相

The thirty-two physical characteristics that symbolize the superhuman qualities of the Buddha. These originated in Indian…

Art History, Sculpture
sankōjō 三光尉

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a plebeian old man. Deep furrows line the…

Art History, Sculpture
sankosho 三鈷杵

A pestle with three prongs at each end, usually made of gilt bronze. The central grip is often encircled by demons' eyes…

Art History, Sculpture
sankozuka-no-ken 三鈷柄剣

A sword, with a blade at one end and a handle topped by three prongs shaped like a *sankosho…

Art History, Sculpture
sanmen tōshoku 三面頭飾

Also sanmen hōshoku 三面宝飾, sanmen hōkan 三面宝冠. A Buddhist crown that consisted of three upstanding ornaments…

Art History, Sculpture
sanne 三衣

Also read san'e. Three different robes used by Buddhist priests. According to Indian Buddhist tradition, each monk…

Art History, Sculpture
sanzankan 三山冠

1 A black lacquer crown with a row of three rounded peaks called koji 巾子. The crown was worn by…

Art History, Sculpture
sanzonbutsu 三尊仏

Also sanzonzō 三尊像, sanzon 三尊. A set of three Buddhist deities appearing together. They form a triad…

Art History, Sculpture
saru 猿 ✓

1 Monkey. The monkey is represented in kyōgen 狂言 by a masked and costumed figure. The monkey mask…

Sculpture, Art History, Architecture, General Terms
sayū sōshōsei 左右相称性

Lit. "bilateral symmetry." An image whereby the right and left sides of an image are identical. With the practice of…

Art History, Sculpture
semimaru 蝉丸

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a young prince who is blind from…

Art History, Sculpture
semui-in 施無畏印

Lit. "mudra for bestowing fearlessness (Sk: abhaya or abhayadana or abhayaprada mudra)." A mudra…

Art History, Sculpture
senbutsu せん仏

Also written 甎仏 or 磚仏. Japanese buddhist images in relief on unglazed clay tiles sen せん which are square,…

Art History, Sculpture
sendan 栴檀

1 An alternative term for *byakudan 白檀.

2…

Art History, Sculpture
senjiza 宣字座

Lit. "ideogram of the character sen 宣." A dais *daiza 台座 for a Buddhist…

Art History, Sculpture
senkoku 線刻 Also senbori 線彫, *sujibori 筋彫. Line engraving. A method of carving in which recessed lines create a… Art History, Sculpture
sentaibutsu 千体仏

Lit. "thousand Buddhas." Sometimes abbreviated to senbutsu 千仏. A large number of Buddhist images, usually the same…

Art History, Sculpture
seppō-in 説法印

Lit. "the exposition of the Dharma mudra." A mudra or hand gesture *in 印…

Art History, Sculpture
sessen 石川

Lit. "stone river." A bugaku 舞楽 mask *bugakumen 舞楽面…

Art History, Sculpture
Shaka 釈迦

1 Abbreviation of Shakamuni 釈迦牟尼 or Shakamon 釈迦文 (Sk: Sakyamuni), meaning sage of the Sakyas. The name by…

Art History, Iconography, Sculpture
shakei 莎髻

Also shake. A style of topknot *hōkei 宝髻 in the shape of…

Art History, Sculpture
shakujō 錫杖

Also ushōjō 有声杖, chijō 智杖, and tokujō 徳杖. Sk: khakkhara. A pilgrim's staff or sistrum.…

Art History, Sculpture
shakumi 曲見

Oblique glance. A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a middle-aged…

Art History, Sculpture
Shichijō bussho 七条仏所

A Buddhist sculpture workshop *bussho 仏所 located in Kyoto's…

Art History, Sculpture
Shichijō ōmiya bussho 七条大宮仏所

A Buddhist sculpture workshop *bussho 仏所 located in Kyoto's…

Art History, Sculpture
shigami 顰

1 Also shigami 獅噛 (biting lion), or hagami 歯噛 (biting teeth). A Noh mask *…

Art History, Sculpture
shiketsu 四けつ

Also written 四厥, also kongōketsu 金剛厥. Lit. "four pickets." A set of four posts, put up at each corner of a…

Art History, Sculpture
shikinasu 敷茄子

The bulging sphere which is below the lotus petals *renben 蓮弁 in the narrow…

Art History, Sculpture
shikoro 錣

1 A generic term for a roof line that has a broken plane, the parts of which run in the same direction. A…

Architecture, General Terms, Art History, Sculpture
shin-ei 真影

Also *miei 御影, *eizō 影像…

Art History, Sculpture
shingi 心木

A wooden core, used inside a clay or lacquer statue, or when casting a metal statue. It served as a support or as an aid to…

Art History, Sculpture
shinkaku 真角

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a vengeful ghost, similar to *…

Art History, Sculpture
shinkō 身光

Lit. "body light." The light believed to be emitted from the body of Buddha. Expressed on Buddha and bodhisattva figures in…

Art History, Sculpture
Shinnō 秦王

Abbreviation of Shinnō hajinraku 秦王破陣楽 (Victorious Dance of King Shin), also known as Shinkō hajinraku 神功破陣楽. A *…

Art History, Sculpture
shintoriso 新鳥蘇

A bugaku dance and mask depicting a clown face. Classification (for terms see *…

Art History, Sculpture
shippaku 漆箔

Technique of applying gold foil to the surface of a statue or vessel. Most often found on Buddhist statues, especially *…

Art History, Sculpture
shippei 竹箆

A rod used by a priest to discipline students practicing Zen 禅 meditation. Made of split bamboo covered with black lacquer,…

Art History, Sculpture
shiragibutsu 新羅仏

A style of Buddhist sculpture made during the period of Korean history when the Silla dynasty (Jp: Shiragi 新羅) defeated the…

Art History, Sculpture
shirakizō 白木像

Also kijizō 素地像. A wooden statue with a natural wood surface. Shirakizō may be a Buddhist or Shinto…

Art History, Sculpture
shishi 師子

Chinese temple lion. Refers to the role and the mask representing a temple lion shishi 獅子. The oldest variety are…

Art History, Sculpture
shishiguchi 獅子口

1 Lit. "lion-mouth tile." An ornamental tile placed on each end of a main ridge, instead of the more common…

Architecture, Roofing Tiles, Art History, Sculpture
shishiko 師子児 ✓

Also written 獅子児, called haeharai 蝿払. Gigaku masks *gigakumen…

Art History, Sculpture
shishiza 獅子座

Sk: simhasana. A base *daiza 台座 for a Buddhist image in…

Art History, Sculpture
shitakirihime 舌切姫

Lit. "girl sticking out her tongue." A mask used in kyōgen 狂言 plays and representing a young woman with her tongue…

Art History, Sculpture
shitsushitsuza 瑟々座

Lit. "gem or precious stone base." The most common base for an image of *Fudō Myōō…

Art History, Sculpture
shiwajō 皺尉

Wrinkled old man. A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a dignified,…

Art History, Sculpture
shiyuisō 思惟相

Also shiisō. Lit. "meditative posture." A position used in Buddhist images to symbolize thinking, where the fingers of the…

Art History, Sculpture
shizō 紙像

Also shichōkanzō 紙張貫像. A figure made from layers of glued paper. A number of paper Buddhist statues are preserved…

Art History, Sculpture
shō 摂

Also read setsu, also *ten 捻. An old word for modelling or molding often…

Art History, Sculpture
shōbusshi 小仏師

Also written 少仏師. The term first used in the early Heian period for Buddhist sculptors working in a team, subordinate to a…

Art History, Sculpture
shōchūhagi 正中矧

A technique used to join the blocks in the center of a wooden sculpture made by the hollow joined block technique *…

Art History, Sculpture
shōjō 猩猩

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing a good-luck sea sprite, fond of…

Art History, Sculpture
shokuchi-in 触地印

Also read sokuji-in (Sk: bhusparsa-mudra). Also gōma-in 降魔印. Earth-touching mudra. A type of hand…

Art History, Sculpture
shōmen kanshōsei 正面観照性

The form of a work of art made for contemplation from the front. This style is often found in Japanese Buddhist sculpture…

Art History, Sculpture
shōza 牀座

A square pedestal used in portraits of seated high-ranking Buddhist priests. It is usually a simple square dais supported by…

Art History, Sculpture
shubi 塵尾

Lit. "deer's tail." A type of brush, originally made from a deer's tail attached to a handle. The shubi's practical…

Art History, Sculpture
shūjōroku 周丈六

A measure of height for a Buddhist statue based on shūjaku 周尺, a unit of measure used in Zhou dynasty China (1 …

Sculpture, Art History, Architecture, Measurement
shukuin busshi 宿院仏師

A guild of Buddhist sculptors active in Nara (see *nanto busshi 南都仏師) in…

Art History, Sculpture
sōgata 総型

Also written 惣型. A method of metal casting which used a clay mould. The mould was made by carving the shape of the desired…

Art History, Sculpture
sōgō 相好

Special bodily characteristics of the Buddha which symbolize his superhuman nature. These include many aspects of Buddha's…

Art History, Sculpture
sōkei 双髻

A hairstyle where the hair is divided into two bunches, and tied on top of the head. The hairstyle is found on Buddhist…

Art History, Sculpture
soku 即

A dry lacquer statue. During the Nara period, the term soku was used in documents to refer to dry lacquer statuary…

Art History, Sculpture
sokusen 足釧

An anklet. A decorative ring or rings *kansen 鐶釧 found on the ankles of…

Art History, Sculpture
somakusha 蘇莫者

*Bugaku 舞楽 dance and mask *bugakumen…

Art History, Sculpture
sōmon 藻文

A fishnet-like design used to adorn the base of a Buddhist sculpture. The character 藻 (also read mo) means duckweed…

Art History, Sculpture
sonzō 尊像

An object of veneration or worship, usually a statue or painting.

Art History, Sculpture
Soriko 蘇利古

A dance piece in *bugaku 舞楽 and the abstractly painted paper of cloth mask *…

Art History, Sculpture
sozō 塑造

Also sozō 塑像, shōzō 摂像, deizō 泥像. Formerly also called *…

Art History, Sculpture

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JAANUS is the on-line Dictionary of Japanese Architectural and Art Historical Terminology compiled by Dr. Mary Neighbour Parent.

Originally built by the Atsumi International Scholarship Foundation, it is now hosted and maintained by the Media Center for Art History at Columbia University