In Nara—once known as “Nanto” (lit. the Southern Capital)—a rich tradition of exquisite Buddhist paintings has been continuously passed down since ancient times. These treasured works are collectively known as Buddhist paintings of Nara (Jp. Nanto butsuga). During the Nara period (710–794), major temples were adorned with richly cosmopolitan Tenpyō paintings that would serve as a model for generations to come. By the Heian period (794–1185), elegant Buddhist paintings suited to aristocratic tastes were widely venerated. From the Kamakura period (1192–1333) onwards, which marked the revival of Buddhist paintings of Nara, artists began producing revivalist works based on Tenpyō iconography. At the same time, Buddhist painters affiliated with the Nara-based painting ateliers (Jp. Nanto edokoro) became actively involved not only in the production of Buddhist paintings and illustrated handscrolls, but also in the decorative coloring of Buddhist sculptures. Since the modern era, Buddhist paintings from Nara’s Tenpyō era became highly acclaimed as the classics of Japanese art and continue to inspire new works of Japanese paintings while remain protected as objects of cultural property.

This exhibition is an international collaborative project realized after nearly two decades of planning between the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston in the United States and the Nara National Museum in Japan. It marks the first attempt to trace the history of Buddhist paintings of Nara through an exceptional gathering of works, featuring the long-awaited homecoming of outstanding Buddhist paintings associated with Nara from the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, alongside a careful selection of Buddhist paintings and sculpture from Japan, including works from the Nara National Museum. Moreover, the murals in the Kondō Hall of Hōryūji Temple lost in the fire of 1949 (Shōwa 24) are revived to their original brilliance with the latest digital technologies using the color information recorded in glass photographic plates. The first public appearance of these high-definition color images of the murals is another major highlight. We invite you to fully immerse yourself in the rich and distinctive appeal of Buddhist paintings of Nara, an experience available only in this exhibition.