KIRISHITAN BUDDHIST STATUE WITH ENGRAVED CROSS, with wooden box, Azuchi-Momoyama–Edo Period（1573–1867CE）

A small Buddhist statue dating from around the Azuchi–Momoyama to the Edo period, bearing a cross motif incised on its back.

A small figure stands on a lotus-petal base, its appearance evoking a monk or a Jizō bodhisattva. Viewed from the front, it bears a calm expression with the hands quietly joined in prayer, and the robe’s folds are rendered with simple, economical lines. On the reverse, however, incised lines beneath the drapery suggest a cross, so that within this Buddhist guise a symbol of another faith seems to be subtly superimposed.

From the Azuchi–Momoyama through the Edo period, Christianity spread throughout Japan and, amid policies banning the religion, was preserved in secret. This object, taking the form of a Buddhist statue while bearing a cross engraved on its reverse, evokes forms associated with the Kirishitan faith. While definitive assertions should be avoided, one senses how belief was concealed and transmitted in altered forms over time.

The surface bears a darkened, aged patina, with period wear, small scratches, and surface abrasion. Although modest in size, the figure presents a striking contrast between the serene front and the cross engraved on the reverse, offering a different impression from each viewing angle.

An old wooden box is included, indicating that the piece has been carefully preserved and handed down for a long time. As a small ornament on a shelf, in a tokonoma alcove, or in a tea-room setting, it adds a quiet presence.

There is flaking and chipping around the base, and the figure itself shows wear consistent with its age, minor scratches, and soiling. Along with its aged surface, it retains a quiet presence befitting an object of devotion.