Wood identification of Japanese and Chinese wooden statues owned by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, USA

Abstract Precious cultural assets of East Asia are found worldwide and hold many important art-historical meanings, for example Buddhist statues. In this study, we conducted wood identification Japanese Chinese statues owned by the Museum Fine Arts, Boston, USA. From eight sculptures one sculpture, 15 samples were collected. The anatomical features these scrutinized using synchrotron X-ray microtomography or conventional optical microscopy. results showed that made from Chamaecyparis obtusa , except base statue was Cryptomeria japonica . Both species conifers in Japan. contrast, hardwood, Paulownia sp.