Background
Kōkei was born in Japan in 1175. Originally named Hizen. Kokei Kokei was a direct descendant, both genetically and artistically, of Jocho, a master sculptor of the Heian period.
Kōkei was born in Japan in 1175. Originally named Hizen. Kokei Kokei was a direct descendant, both genetically and artistically, of Jocho, a master sculptor of the Heian period.
Kokei's works are still largely in the Heian mold established by his ancestor, Jocho. For example, Kokei's Fukukenjaku Kannon follows Jocho's canon of proportions: widely spread legs provide a base for a triangular figure with a square-shaped face. Likewise, the folds of drapery still follow a conventional geometric pattern. However, Kokei does show signs of the emerging realism that characterizes the art of the Kei school. He uses crystal inlays to give a more lifelike sheen to the Kannon's eyes and byakugo (Sanskrit: urna). The details of the face and clothing are more deeply carved and realized than those in Jocho's work. Individual hairs are carefully carved into the figure's head. The result is a figure that seems more corporeal than the ephemeral-looking works of the previous 150 years.