London Gallery

1000分の1？

One of a Thousand?

ただいま展示中の如来坐像（敦煌石窟伝来／北魏時代・6世紀中頃）です。

On display at the gallery now is this seated Buddha figure from the Dunhuang caves, dating from the Northern Wei Dynasty (mid-6th century).



敦煌石窟は、中国4～14世紀にわたり造営された石窟寺院です。

粗い岩層のため、彫刻ではなく、
塑造（泥土に草木の繊維を混ぜて固め、造形する技法）で仏像がつくられたり、
壁土を塗って壁画が描かれたりしたようです。

The Dunhuang caves are a series of cave temples in China that were built over a long period of time, from the 4th to 14th centuries.

Due to the brittle nature of the stone there, figures were not carved directly into the cave walls, but were rather molded from stucco reinforced by plant fibers, plastered to the walls, and painted afterward with vivid pigments.




敦煌千仏洞と呼ばれるくらいですので、こちらも、
千仏表現の一部、
恐らくこのような壁面に貼り付けてあったのでしょう。（写真は参考）

The Dunhuang caves are often called the "Caves of the Thousand Buddhas," and this image is one of many that adorned the walls of these caves, much in the fashion reproduced in the following picture.




敦煌石窟が世に知られたのは、
20世紀初めに探検家によって偶然発見されてからと言いますので、神秘的です。

Known now throughout the world, it is fascinating that these caves were only accidentally rediscovered at the beginning of the 20th century.

旅立ち

A Departure

昨日、あるものがこのロンドンギャラリーから旅立っていきました。

もちろん、”売れた”わけで、商売としては喜ばしいことのはずです。
しかし、その社長のさびしそうな様子ったら……
傍らで見ていて気の毒になってしまったほどです。

毎度のことでは身が持ちませんが、それだけ愛情を注ぎ大切にされてきているものたち。
そんなものをこちらでは展示しておりますので、是非見にいらしてください

Tomorrow, something will be departing from London Gallery.

Of course, it was sold, which is reason to be happy. But to see Tajima-san's sad face... being here by his side as the pick up details are arranged, I can't help but feel sorry for his loss.

We can't hold onto these things forever, but all of the works displayed here are deeply loved and cherished. The one leaving tomorrow is still on display now, so by all means please come and see it while you can.

上階HEAVENにて

To the Top Floor, "Heaven"



上階にこんな素敵なお花が生けてありました。
白桔梗。

花器は・・・
「旧日本帝国陸軍　陶製手りゅう弾」　だそうです(@_@)

さすが杉本博司さん、新素材研究所さんでございます！！！

Visiting the 5th floor of the Shirokane Art Complex, I saw this beautiful display of a white Chinese bellflower.

It turns out that the vessel is actually a ceramic hand grenade used by the former Japanese imperial army (@_@)

How typical of Hiroshi Sugimoto and the NEW MATERIAL RESEARCH LABORATORY!!!

やさしく見守る侍女

An Attentive Servant


ただいま展示しております、中国・漢時代（紀元前3世紀~3世紀）の木俑です。


This Chinese wooden effigy dating from the Han Dynasty (3rd cent. BCE - 3rd cent. CE) is now on display at the gallery.



こうして遠くから見たシルエットは天使のよう。。。
杉本博司さんデザインの障子とも合わさって不思議な存在感を放っております。

そして近づいてみますと、また驚くことに、すごく優しい笑みをたたえているのです。


The silhouette seen from afar seems almost angelic....
And against the sliding doors designed by Sugimoto Hiroshi it has a very mysterious presence.

Upon close inspection, however, you may be surprised to see that she is smiling ever so slightly.




俑は、死者とともに埋葬する副葬品の人形です。
このような侍女が仕えていた方も、美しい貴人であったのかなぁと想像してしまいます。
こんな侍女がいてくれたら、きっと穏やかに眠れますね…


Effigies such as this were sealed in tombs and were one of many types of funerary objects.
You can imagine that a lady attendant such as this must have served an equally beautiful aristocrat at some ancient time in the past. With such a diligent servant watching over, surely one could rest peacefully....