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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