Fudo Myo'o (Acala)
- Medium:
- Woodblock print
- Source:
- Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
- Image courtesy of
- Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
Description
This standalone depiction of Fudo Myo-O outside the Kegon-fu series allows Munakata to address the deity without the compositional constraints of a larger suite. Fudo—immovable in his determination, wrathful in appearance, compassionate in purpose—carries a flaming sword and a lasso rope, attributes drawn from Shingon iconography that Munakata absorbed through deep reading of Buddhist texts rather than formal religious training. His treatment strips the figure of hierarchical refinement: the cutting is forceful and intuitive, with the wood grain integrated into the image rather than suppressed. Printed on washi with ink applied directly and pressed by hand using a baren or the artist's own feet—Munakata's documented practice—the resulting impression carries a physical immediacy that distinguishes sosaku-hanga from commercially printed ukiyo-e.
More Prints by Shiko Munakata
Flying Over the Mountains (Yamagoe), from the series "The Tale of the Auklet (Uto Hanga-kan)"
1960
Woodblock print
Bodhisattva Manjusri (Monju bosatsu no saku), from the series Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha Sakyamuni (Shaka jûdai deshi), Shôwa period, undated (block carved 1948)
Shôwa period, 1926-1989
Woodblock print
Ragora (Rahula), from the series "Two Bodhisattva and Ten Great Disciples of Buddha Sakyamuni (Nibosatsu Shaka judai deshi)"
1939-68
Woodblock print
Ubari (Upali), from the series "Two Bodhisattva and Ten Great Disciples of Buddha Sakyamuni (Nibosatsu Shaka judai deshi)"
1939 (printed 1955)
Woodblock print
More Religious Prints
The Great Buddha, Kamakura (Kamakura Daibutsu)
Kamakura Daibutsu
1930
Color woodblock print
Hall of the Great Buddha (Nara Daibutsuden)
1950
Color woodblock print
Great Buddha
大仏
Woodblock print
Clearing after a Snowfall at the Kannon Temple in Asakusa (Asakusa Kannon no yukibare), from the series "Twenty Views of Tokyo (Tokyo nijukkei)"
1926
Color woodblock print; oban
Featured in Collections
Curated cross-cuts that include this print.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fudo Myo'o (Acala) was created by Shiko Munakata (棟方志功).
Fudo Myo'o (Acala) depicts religious.