A wood sculpture of a Buddha has sold for $14.3 million, in New York, a price Christie’s the auctioneer says is a world record for any Japanese work of art.
The statue is believed to be the work of Unkei, a renowned Japanese sculptor of the early Kamakura period in the 1190s. Despite an appraisal from the Tokyo National Museum that the statute is highly likely a work of Unkei, it has not been designated as a national treasure or an important cultural asset in Japan, like another 12 of Unkei’s works have been.
Katsura Yamaguchi, international director of Japanese and Korean art for Christie’s, said in a statement, “History was made today with the phenomenal result of $14,377,000, which is a testament to the extreme importance and beauty of this supreme Buddha, and elevates Japanese art to a new record level.”
The statue was sold on Tuesday to Mitsukoshi Ltd., one of Japan’s major department stores. Its presale estimate was $1.5 million to $2 million.
