Kamakura Period (1185-1333) Buddhist sculptures often come down to us under the individual names of makers (when known) though they were often fashioned in workshops by multiple hands. A significant 13th-century work would employ a dozen or so team members and assistants and draw on multiple specialists.
While Kaikei is called the sculptor of the Shinto deity "Hachiman" for Nara's Todaiji Temple, over 30 craftsmen were involved and Kaikei was the project's overseer.
A further characteristic of Kamakura Buddhist sculpture was the religious bonding of the social and financial strata that provided money for producing new statuary. Within Kaikei's "Standing Amida Nyorai" (c. 1194) was found a list of sponsors naming some 12,000 devotees.
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