Tori style

Bronze triad of Shaka with attendant figures (left figure lost) in the Tori style, Asuka period, 623; in the Hōryū-ji, Nara, Japan

Tori style, in Japanese art, style of sculpture that emerged during the Asuka period (552–645 ce) and lasted into the Nara period (710–784). It was derived from the Chinese Northern Wei style (386–534/535 ce). It is called Tori style after the sculptor Kuratsukuri Tori, who was of Chinese descent. That sculptor’s best-known piece is a Buddhist triad, which was made in 623 ce as a memorial to Prince Shōtoku. It represents the Shaka Buddha (the Japanese name for Shakyamuni) seated on a throne and flanked on either side by bodhisattvas, with a great mandorla behind.

Kanzeon Bosatsu, popularly known as the Kuze Kannon, gilt wood sculpture in the Tori style, early 7th century; in the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) of the Hōryū Temple, Nara, Japan.
Kanzeon Bosatsu, popularly known as the Kuze Kannon, gilt wood sculpture in the Tori style, early 7th century; in the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) of the Hōryū Temple, Nara, Japan.

Works in true Tori style are remarkably similar to Northern Wei sculpture found at the Longmen caves in China. Characteristics include slender, elegant bodies, a strong, linear interest in drapery, and a tendency toward squatness in the proportion of the faces and also in the relationship of the body to the feet. Facial features include almond-shaped eyes and an archaic smile.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.
Citation Information
Article Title: Tori style
Website Name: Encyclopaedia Britannica
Publisher: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Date Published: 06 June 2011
URL: https://www.britannica.comhttps://www.britannica.com/art/Tori-style
Access Date: November 21, 2024