JAPON, XIXe siècle

Sculpture in lacquered and gilded wood depicting the god Idaten, represented standing with his hands joined in prayer ("gasshô-in") in front of his torso. He is dressed in a richly worked armor, the breastplate decorated with a chimera's head, his coat - whose decoration imitates fur - is tied in front and presents a bat decoration. He wears a large helmet topped with a dragon's head. The face looks serene, the glass eyes are half closed, and the mouth has well defined lips. Idaten (韋馱天, Skanda) is considered in the Buddhist cult and by the Zen cult in Japan, as one of the twenty-four guardian deities (Devas), protector of monastic communities and their teachings (Vihârapala). He is represented as a young Chinese warrior or in the form of Kumara-ten, where he is represented as a young prince. He is known in China as Wei Tuo. Height: 88 cm (with base) Important lack of lacquer on the back, one of the horns of the dragon broken and glued back.