[VANDOO]

THE REASONS I SEE CHINESE INFLUENCE IN THE CARVING STYLE. !. WHEN A CARVER CARVES PRIMARILY IN ONE STYLE FOR A FEW GENERATIONS OR TURNS OUT HUNDREDS OF CARVINGS OF ONE SUBJECT HE DEVELOPS A CERTAIN STYLE. IF HE HAS CARVED A FEW HUNDRED BUDDHAS WITH THE EYES CLOSED AS ON THIS EXAMPLE OFTEN THE FACES WILL ALL BE SIMILAR REGARDLESS OF WHO IT REPRESENTS. THOSE WHO LEARN FROM SUCH A CARVER ARE INFLUENCED TO WORK IN THE SAME WAY SO ITEMS CAN REMAIN SIMILAR BECAUSE OF THAT INFLUENCE OVER MANY GENERATIONS. BUDDAH IS OFTEN CARVED WITH EYES CLOSED PHILIPPIANS, SPANISH AND AMERICAN OFTEN ARE NOT. EYES CLOSED SIGNIFIES A SERENE AND GOOD PERSON OR GOD, OPEN BUGGED EYES USUALLY SHOWS EMOTION AND PERHAPS A FIERCE DISPOSITION IN ORIENTAL ART. I AM NOT SAYING THIS REPRESENTS BUDDAH JUST THAT THE FACE HAS MANY SIMULARITYS TO THE TYPE OF FACES OFTEN CARVED FOR BUDDAH. EVEN A NON CHINESE TRAINED TO CARVE BY A CHINESE OR ONE WHO CARVED IN THAT STYLE WOULD EMPLOY THE SAME TECKNIUES AND BASIC DESIGNS. A SMALL CHANGE IN THE EYES, DRESS, NOSE , BEARD ,ECT. WOULD CHANGE THE BASIC DESIGN TO PORTRAY THE SUBJECT COMISSIONED. A PICTURE OF 2 BUDDAHS THE LARGE ONE IS AT KAMAKURA JAPAN.