Kaikei
Illustration — Kaikei, wood-colored Buddha • Illustration — Kaikei, wooden bodhisattva statue with lacquer, gold, copper, and crystal Kaikei was a Japanese Busshi (sculptor of Buddha statue) of the Kamakura period, known alongside Unkei. Because many busshi of the school have a name including kei (慶), his school is called Kei-ha (Kei school). Kaikei being also called Annami-dabutsu, his style is called and is known to be intelligent, pictorial and delicate.
Kaikei
KAIKEI, Photo:MITSUMURA ART Publishing Co. · Anthology of Fine-Arts, Mitsumura, Tokyo, Japan ACE1927-1929 · Public domain
- Born
- Kaikei was born in 1150.
- Died
- Kaikei died in 1250.
- Nationality
- Japan
- Occupation
- painter · busshi
- Movements
- Kei school
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Documentary summary
Illustration — Kaikei, wood-colored Buddha • Illustration — Kaikei, wooden bodhisattva statue with lacquer, gold, copper, and crystal Kaikei was a Japanese Busshi (sculptor of Buddha statue) of the Kamakura period, known alongside Unkei. Because many busshi of the school have a name including kei (慶), his school is called Kei-ha (Kei school). Kaikei being also called Annami-dabutsu, his style is called and is known to be intelligent, pictorial and delicate.
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Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
getty · 500121376 · gnd · 118559370 · wikidata · Q3191958 · wikipedia · Kaikei
In this article
Primary work
Primary work
Most of his works have a height of about three shaku, and there are many of his works in existence.
• Boston Miroku (1189) - Earliest attributable work. • Amitabha Triad in Jōdo-ji in Ono (1195) - National Treasure of Japan. Most important work. Height: 24.6 ft • Hachiman in Tōdai-ji (1201) - National Treasure of Japan. • Burke Jizō (1203) - Metropolitan Museum of Art • Nio(Agyō) in Tōdai-ji (1203) - National Treasure of Japan. Joint production with Unkei and 13 assistant sculptors. • Mahamayuri in Kinpusen-ji (1200) - Important Cultural Property of Japan. • Maitreya in Sanbō-in (1192) - Important Cultural Property of Japan. • Vairocana in Ishiyama-dera (1194) - Important Cultural Property of Japan. • Illustration — Amitabha Triad in Jōdo-ji in Ono (1195) • Illustration — Hachiman in Tōdai-ji (1201) • Illustration — Nio (Agyō) in Tōdai-ji (1203)
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1150
Kaikei was born on 1 January 1150.
1250
Kaikei died on 1 January 1250.
Attributed or Alleged Work
• Statue of Chōgen (1201-1206), attributed to Kaikei and/or Unkei, National Treasure of Japan; Tōdai-ji
Kajima Volume 1: Chapter 2, pg. 38: no. 33 Provenance Until 1906, Temple of Kôfuku-ji, Nara, Japan. Okakura Kakuzo (b. 1862 - d. 1913), Boston; 1920, sold by the estate of Okakura Kakuzô to the MFA. (Accession
Kaikei · Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (
https: www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/53175 快慶作 地蔵菩薩立像
Kaikei · Metropolitan Museum of Art (
Primary material
Documents and archives
authority file
- Gemeinsame Normdatei 118559370, Kaikei.
General reference · Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
- Getty Union List of Artist Names 500121376, Kaikei.
General reference · The Getty Research Institute
reference work
- “Kaikei”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q3191958: Kaikei
General reference · Wikidata
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
authority file
Gemeinsame Normdatei 118559370, Kaikei.Deutsche Nationalbibliothek
Secondary witnessauthority file
Getty Union List of Artist Names 500121376, Kaikei.The Getty Research Institute
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Paintings
19,183 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Kaigetsudō AnchiArtist
- Kaigetsudō AndoArtist
- Kaihō YūshōArtist
- Kaii HigashiyamaArtist
- Kailash Chandra MeherArtist
- Kaita MurayamaArtist
- Kaj StenvallArtist
- Kajetan StefanowiczArtist
Best supported in this field
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