The Statue of Niō

There are two Niō at the Freer Gallery in DC, and for good reason: the gates in the Japanese temples from Kamakura Period (early 14-th century) were guarded by two such statues. Unkei was maybe the greatest artist in those times, and the legend goes that he was not carving the wood; he was just finding the shape of God inside.

(the musical background is Yuki Theme by Alin Dimitriu)

And here are two close-ups:





(Smithsonian Castle)