Editing Sculpture (section)

====Japan====
{{see also|Japanese art|Japanese sculpture|List of National Treasures of Japan (sculptures)}}
[[File:NaraTodaijiDaibutsu0212.jpg|thumb|[[Tōdai-ji|Nara Daibutsu]], {{Circa|752}}, [[Nara, Nara|Nara]], [[Japan]]]]
Towards the end of the long [[Neolithic]] [[Jōmon period]], some [[Jōmon pottery|pottery vessels]] were "flame-rimmed" with extravagant extensions to the rim that can only be called sculptural,<ref>[http://www.nbz.or.jp/eng/middlejomon.htm Middle Jomon Sub-Period] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525100233/http://www.nbz.or.jp/eng/middlejomon.htm |date=2009-05-25 }}, Niigata Prefectural Museum of History, accessed August 15, 2012.</ref> and very stylized pottery [[dogū]] figures were produced, many with the characteristic "snow-goggle" eyes. During the Kofun period of the 3rd to 6th century CE, [[haniwa]] terracotta figures of humans and animals in a simplistic style were erected outside important tombs. The arrival of Buddhism in the 6th century brought with it sophisticated traditions in sculpture, Chinese styles mediated via Korea. The 7th-century [[Hōryū-ji]] and its contents have survived more intact than any East Asian Buddhist temple of its date, with works including a ''Shaka Trinity'' of 623 in bronze, showing the historical Buddha flanked by two bodhisattvas and also the [[Four Heavenly Kings|Guardian Kings of the Four Directions]].<ref>Paine & Soper, 30–31.</ref>

[[Jōchō]] is said to be one of the greatest Buddhist sculptors not only in [[Heian period]] but also in the history of Buddhist statues in Japan. Jōchō redefined the body shape of Buddha statues by perfecting the technique of "yosegi zukuri" (寄木造り) which is a combination of several woods. The peaceful expression and graceful figure of the Buddha statue that he made completed a Japanese style of sculpture of Buddha statues called "Jōchō yō" (Jōchō style, 定朝様) and determined the style of Japanese Buddhist statues of the later period. His achievement dramatically raised the social status of ''[[busshi]]'' (Buddhist sculptor) in Japan.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20210321090221/https://kotobank.jp/word/%E5%AE%9A%E6%9C%9D-79529 Kotobank, Jōchō.] [[The Asahi Shimbun]].</ref>

In the [[Kamakura period]], the [[Minamoto clan]] established the [[Kamakura shogunate]]  and the [[samurai]] class virtually ruled Japan for the first time. Jocho's successors, sculptors of the [[Kei school]] of Buddhist statues, created realistic and dynamic statues to suit the tastes of samurai, and Japanese Buddhist sculpture reached its peak. [[Unkei]], [[Kaikei]], and [[Tankei]] were famous, and they made many new Buddha statues at many temples such as [[Kofuku-ji]], where many Buddha statues had been lost in wars and fires.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200703173413/https://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%85%B6%E6%B4%BE-59106 Kotobank, Kei school.] The Asahi Shimbun.</ref>

Almost all subsequent significant large sculpture in Japan was Buddhist, with some [[Shinto]] equivalents, and after Buddhism declined in Japan in the 15th century, monumental sculpture became largely architectural decoration and less significant.<ref>Paine & Soper, 121.</ref>  However sculptural work in the decorative arts was developed to a remarkable level of technical achievement and refinement in small objects such as [[inro]] and [[netsuke]] in many materials, and metal ''{{lang|ja|tosogu}}'' or [[Japanese sword mountings]]. In the 19th century there were export industries of small bronze sculptures of extreme virtuosity, ivory and porcelain figurines, and other types of small sculpture, increasingly emphasizing technical accomplishment.

<gallery widths="185px" heights="200px">
File:Clevelandart 1984.68.jpg|'Flame-style' vessel, Neolithic [[Jōmon period]]; {{Circa|2750 BCE}}; earthenware with carved and applied decoration; height: 61&nbsp;cm, diameter: 55.8&nbsp;cm
File:Dogu Miyagi 1000 BCE 400 BCE.jpg|[[Dogū]] with "snow-goggle" eyes, 1000–400 BCE
File:Arte giapponese, nobile haniwa, VI sec.JPG|6th-century [[haniwa]] figure
File:Horyu-ji14s3200.jpg|Kongo Rishiki (Guardian Deity) at the Central Gate of [[Hōryū-ji]]
File:Taishakuten Śakra, Tō-ji.jpg|Taishakuten [[Śakra (Buddhism)|Śakra]], 839, [[Tō-ji]]
File:Kofukuji Hokuendo Muchaku Unkei.jpg|Muchaku by [[Unkei]], 1212, [[Kōfuku-ji]], National Treasure
File:Tsuchiya Yasuchika - Tsuba with a Rabbit Viewing the Autumn Moon - Walters 51163.jpg|[[Tsuba]] sword fitting with a "Rabbit Viewing the Autumn Moon", bronze, gold and silver, between 1670 and 1744
File:Izumiya Tomotada - Netsuke in the Form of a Dog - Walters 711020 - Three Quarter.jpg|Izumiya Tomotada, [[netsuke]] in the form of a dog, late 18th century
File:Eagle, By Suzuki Chokichi Suzuki 鈴木長吉「鷲置物」.jpg|Eagle by Suzuki Chokichi, 1892, [[Tokyo National Museum]]
</gallery>