Pair of Japanese Wood Baku Temple Sculptures Ca. 1700 (item #608003)

Japanese and Chinese antiques and art from B & C

Pair of Japanese Wood Baku Temple Sculptures Ca. 1700

browse these categories for related items...
All Items: Archives:Regional Art:Asian:Japanese: Pre 1700: item # 608003

Please refer to our stock # 11-336 when inquiring.

Click to view additional online photographs

B & C Antiques
P. O. Box 291
Derby, CT 06418
203-929-7312

Guest Book

SOLD

Pair of Japanese Wood Baku Temple Sculptures Ca. 1700

This rare pair of early small-scale carved wooden architectural elements, which represent the heads of the elephant-like creatures known as “baku” (“eater of dreams”), were originally mounted as ornaments under the corner roof eaves of a Japanese shrine or temple. Early to mid-Edo period, ca. 1700. Carved in wonderful detail from a block of wood, this mythical animal has a long arched trunk curled downward and crescent shaped eyes. Two curved tusks extend from its mouth, which is open to reveal a row of teeth. Traces of the original red paint remain beneath the trunk and inside their ears. The carving is unusual in that it is single-sided, which neatly facilitates a flat wall display.

Generically called “kibana” (shrine or temple roof support finials), these wooden architectural ornaments were typically carved in the form of mythical beasts. (Kibana in this particular form were known as “zobana,” literally “an elephant's nose.") The Japanese artistic tradition includes a large number of imaginary creatures, including the Baku. Like so many mythical beings, the baku is a curious mingling of various animals. First chronicled in Shinto mythology, this creature is described as having a hairy head with a long proboscis like an elephant’s trunk, two tusks, four claws on each foot, a spiny backbone, a spotted hide, and the tail of an ox. Baku are considered to be a generally benevolent creatures which stalk the dreamscape, devouring the evil demons that cause nightmares. Superstitious people of Edo era Japan believed that bad dreams were caused by evil spirits. It was believed that if the Baku could be induced to eat a horrible dream, the creature had the power to change it into good fortune. When a person awakens from a nightmare, he should call out immediately to the Baku to eat his bad dreams. According to Shinto legend, the Baku will promptly consume the evil entity responsible for these nocturnal terrors and bestow good fortune upon whoever has called out to him.

As architectural elements, Baku were thought to protect the entrance to Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines and were placed under the roof of religious structures to ward off evil spirits. To insure the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu’s peaceful eternal rest, numerous sculptures of Baku are found at the Tosho-gu Shrine in Nikko, which houses his mausoleum. Wooden architectural ornaments, particularly those in the form of a baku heads, are quite rare and seldom seen on the market today. This is an excellent pair, with great personality, style and significant age.

CONDITION: These baku sculptures are in remarkably good original condition, with the single exception of a broken tip on one tusk. Because the figures were mounted on the outside of a shrine or temple, their surfaces are weathered, and there is a wonderful patina of extensive age. DIMENSIONS: 8¾” (22.0 cm) long, 2 ¼” (5.7 cm) wide, 3 1/3” (8.5 cm) high.