Японские исследования (Sep 2022)
Artistic features of pedestals, halos, mandorlas of Japanese Buddhist sculptures
Abstract
The article describes and analyzes important iconographic elements of Buddhist cult sculpture, which are distinguished by great diversity and semantic content. Attention is focused on the etymology and semantics of the pedestals on which the sculptures stand or sit. Thanks to the pedestals, the sculpture was separated from the everyday profane world, its status in the hierarchy of Buddhist deities was emphasized, and its sublime sacral character was demonstrated. It turns out that the arsenal of pedestals is quite diverse. The richness of its forms is traced – from simple pedestals, low bases, which still have a symbolic meaning, to complex architectural structures. The classic pedestal-throne, representing a cascade of lotus flowers, on which prominent characters of the Buddhist world sat, was a manifestation of their divine origin and moral purity. The specific features of the pedestals are studied – the throne as a semantic analogue of the sacred mountain Sumeru, as well as zoomorphic thrones with various mounts and animals, which occupied a significant place in the diverse set of pedestals. It has been established that radiant halos in the form of disks, fiery circles, mandorlas around the body of the sculpture, which are emitting rays, differ in form and style. Their symbolic aesthetics, which tell about the characters, their purpose and role in the Buddhist world, is considered. Mandorlas, based on a lotus petal, make up the picturesque background of the figures and compositionally unite the sculptural group. While halos above the head as a symbol of holiness most often have simple geometric shapes of a circle, or a hoop, and, in some cases, they are elongated at the top and decorated with symbols, mandorlas are always richly decorated, artistically refined and look as if woven from patterns. They give the figures a regal majesty and festivity. It is noted that the brightness of the images is enhanced by the golden sheen, and the luminosity of the images is the reason for the skillful ornamentation of the mandorlas and their rich decoration. It is concluded that patterns on pedestals, halos, and mandorlas are an important element of the composition, indicating the uniqueness of decorative solutions. The types of pedestals worked out over the centuries, often with overhanging openwork canopies, various halos and mandorlas completed in form, contributed to the enrichment of plastic images. The article gives an idea of how diversely such important informational signs of Buddhist deities as pedestals, halos, and mandorlas are presented in Japanese iconography.
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