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context: painting > early painting > buddhist painting
Horyuji murals
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Kannon, from the Horyuji murals |
Murals are pretty rare in Japanese history. These are not in the fresco technique, but are a secco*. There is a sensuality, even a cruelty, about many of the figures that is straight out of High Tang Chinese and Gupta Indian painting.
* Painted onto plaster after it has dried - with fresco, the plaster hasn't dried. The secco technique is less durable.