Golden Deities in Japanese Art. Light from Shadow

YAREAH

Descent of Amida and the twenty-five Bodhisattvas; Chionin, Kyoto; 13th Century CE; Hanging Scroll on silk

HAWAII---Of all the materials used in the arts, perhaps none is as sumptuous, and carries as much significance as gold. The introduction of Buddhism added new layers of meaning: sutras described the Buddha, who came from a noble background, as having skin of gold, which immediately found resonance with the royal associations of the precious metal already familiar to the Japanese elite. Gold was used generously in Buddhist art for depictions of the highest deities, first in sculpture and later in painting. [link]

Honolulu Museum of Art: "Light From Shadow: Gold in Japanese Art" (Feb. 6-June 1); 900 S Beretania St, Honolulu, HI; (808) 532-8700; honolulumuseum.org