Shotoku TaishiShotoku Taishi

One of a select group of prints from a 20 volume set series called ''Shimbi Taikan'' (Selected Relics of Japanese Art). Published between 1898-1908, it was an effort by Buddhist organizations to spread appreciation for the aesthetics of early Buddhist art and philosophy. The series consisted of woodblock and collotype print reproductions of religious paintings, sculptures and relics from Japan and China. Each print was originally accompanied with a description of the work and artist in both Japanese and English, making it one of the earliest bilingual publications of its kind.