真美大観/康辨作龍燈鬼天燈鬼


龍燈鬼天燈鬼 
木製
康辨作
各長二尺六寸
奈良市法相宗大本山興福寺藏

鎌倉佛師の祖運慶は、佛像彫刻の正宗を承け、我國の彫工術をして偉大なる發展を致さしめたる人なり、而して七百年後の今日、尚且つ其影響を彫刻の部面に及ぼせる所以のものは、湛慶、康運、康辨、康勝、運賀、運助等の子孫が、其箕裘を繼ぎて皆彫刻の術に巧に、能く巨多の製作を世に遺したるに由れり、但し彼等の本職は佛師なるが故に、佛天の像を造るに日もまた足らず、爲めに他の什器裝飾品等に其意匠を凝らし技巧を試むるの餘暇なかりしに由り、佛天像以外に彼等の製作の世に存するものは極めて稀なるが、茲に出せる二個の燈鬼は、建保三年（西暦一二一五年）に運慶の第三子康辨が作れるものにして、其意匠頗る奇なるのみならず、二鬼の骨格筋肉等、其伸縮能く度に適し、體形頗る法に合せり、人或は其兩脚の短きに失するを詬れども、これ其捧持する燈籠に對して比準を取り、且つ父運慶の法に由りて是の如く刻み成せるものならん、要するに此二燈鬼の如きは、其傳來の正確なる、其技術の高妙なる、優に國寶として尊重するに足るものなりといふ可し

Wooden Images of Demons; Lamp-Stands (Riutôki and Tentôki). 
By Kôben.
2 feet 6 2/3 inches in height.
Owned by the temple Kôfukuji, Nara.
Collotype.

Unkei, the founder of Kamakura school of sculptors, was a man of exceptional genius and effected a great development in Buddhistic sculpture. Today after 700 years he still exercises a considerable influence through the numerous works left by his descendants, Tankei, Kôun, Kôben, Kôshô, Unga and Unjo, who were all excellent sculptors. But they were almost exclusively Buddhistic sculptors and had no time to devote to other fields.

The two lamp-stands here reproduced are by Kôben, the third son of Unkei. The design is very curious but the workmanship excellent, the faces and muscles being especially noteworthy. The legs are purposely short so as to be in proportion to the lamp. These images are striking examples of the style handed down by Unkei and now registered as national properties, their history being so certain and the workmanship so exquisite.

底本 
田島志一編　『真美大観　第三册』　日本佛教眞美協會、1900年。

真美大観