The Great Buddha of Kamakura
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Morgan, Kenneth W.
Photographer: Arthur Llewellyn Basham
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This famous bronze image of Amida Buddha is second in size only to the Buddha at Todaiji in Nara. It was cast in 1252, according to tradition. It shows the Buddha in meditation, the dhyana mudra. Originally it was housed in a great hall, but after several natural calamities the hall was finally carried away in a tidal wave in 1495 and has not been replaced. It is evidence of the expectation that the image would be housed that the head appears oversized and the crossed legs narrower than they ought to be
the features of the face have been made especially distinct, as would be necessary in the dimmer light within a building. This is an image of unusual artistic merit, the object of pilgrimage for thousands and thousands of pilgrims every year.
the features of the face have been made especially distinct, as would be necessary in the dimmer light within a building. This is an image of unusual artistic merit, the object of pilgrimage for thousands and thousands of pilgrims every year.
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Archives Series
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This image is provided for research purposes only and must not be reproduced without the prior permission of the Archives Program, Australian National University.
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