Abstract

★A History of Buddhist Sculpture: Essential Knowledge for the Modern Reader
★Rediscover a popular art history course at Kyoto City University of Arts, brought to life by a professor and his former student!

The author’s course on the history of Japanese Buddhist sculpture at Kyoto City University of Arts is so popular that students eagerly seek to enroll. It was this very course that awakened Kyoko Mahune, an alumna of the university, to her passion for Buddhist statues. She would later go on to create the bestselling comic essay Falling in Love with Buddhist Statues.

This book combines the author’s accessible lecture notes with exquisitely detailed illustrations of Buddhist statues and comic essays by Mahune. Her newly created illustrations are filled with a profound love for Buddhist sculpture and are so lifelike that they could easily be mistaken for photographs—or even offer a clearer view than photographs themselves. They are truly a highlight of the book!

The human desire to seek solace and healing in the Buddha has remained unchanged throughout the ages. Learning about the urgent needs and historical circumstances that led to the creation of Buddhist statues also offers an opportunity to reflect on the universal aspects of human nature.

Author’s Information

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