Pair of Japanese bronze figures FIG57 Nio guardians

Spectacular pair of antique Japanese bronze figures representing the Niō, or Kongōrikishi, a pair of fierce guardians of Buddhism who protect the entrance to temples in Japan and other East Asian countries. 

They are depicted as a pair: one with an open mouth -Agyō- and the other with a closed mouth -Ungyō-. Together, they symbolise the beginning and end of all things, birth and death, and the harmony between active -Agyō- and passive -Ungyō- energy.

The Niō sculptures at Todai-ji Temple in Nara, created by sculptors Unkei and Kaikei, are notable examples due to their size and realism.