Ogen

Japanese: 応源 - おうげん

Years of birth: Years of birth and death unknown. A Buddhist sculptor active in the late Heian period. Also written as Ogen. In 1114, following a plan by Toba Sojo Kakuyu, he transcribed two precious esoteric Buddhist drawings, the "Taizō Zuzo" and "Taizō Kyū Zuyō," which had been brought over from China by Enchin (only the retranscribed versions from the Kamakura period of both remain. The former is housed at the Nara National Museum, the latter in a private collection). According to the Choshūki, from 1134 onwards, he worked on the decoration of the newly constructed temples and pagodas at Kyoto Hokkō-in and Kyoto Shokōmyo-in. He worked with other Buddhist sculptors to create paintings on pillars and doors, and also painted designs for decorative arts. His painting skills were highly praised, but he was not necessarily promoted as a Buddhist sculptor. <References> Hirata Hiroshi, "About the Buddhist sculptor Ogen" (Miscellaneous Buddhist sculptor illustrations, no. 5)

(Arata Yajima)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
平安後期に活躍した絵仏師。応元とも書く。永久2(1114)年,鳥羽僧正覚猷の企てに従って,かつて円珍が唐から請来した貴重な密教の白描図像である「胎蔵図像」「胎蔵旧図様」両本の転写を行う(ともに鎌倉時代の再転写本のみが現存。前者は奈良国立博物館蔵,後者は個人蔵)。『長秋記』によれば,長承3(1134)年から数年の間,京都法金剛院と京都勝光明院に新造された堂塔の荘厳(装飾)に従事。他の絵仏師と共に柱絵や扉絵を制作し,さらに工芸品の図柄も描いている。その画技は高い評価を受けたが,絵仏師としての昇進の面では必ずしも恵まれなかった。<参考文献>平田寛「絵仏師応源のこと」(『密教図像』5号)

(矢島新)

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