Vajra Warrior (one of a pair)

Japan

mid 14th century

Polychromed Japanese cypress (hinoki) with lacquer

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Two vajra warriors (in Japanese, <I>Kongō rikishi</I>), better known as the Two Kings (Niō), guard the entrances of many Japanese Buddhist temples. Befitting their role as protectors of the dharma, or Buddhist law, they are ferocious, seminude figures with exaggerated musculature and facial expressions. The extreme realism of these figures was achieved through the <I>yosegi</I> technique of multiple-block construction, meaning they were carved in smaller sections and then assembled into the large figure. Originally, both warriors would have been first covered in a layer of shiny black lacquer, and then colorfully painted. Years of e