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Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom (Myoo-bu shoson)

Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom (Myoo-bu shoson). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: 13 1/4 in. x 42 ft. 2 3/16 in. (33.7 x 1285.7 cm). Date: 12th century. The Five Great Kings of Wisdom (Godai Myoo) are ferocious-looking deities who ward off evil in order to protect the Buddha's law. The opening section of this scroll shows various depictions of Fudo Myoo, the Immovable King of Wisdom. The surrounding mandorla of flames represents the extinguishing of human passions. Accompanying the illustrations are schematic drawings of the deity's attributes: a vajra "thunderbolt" sword (a symbol for cutting through ignorance), an eight-spoked dharmachakra disk, and a two-pronged vajra with rope. The Zuzo sho (or Jikkansho) is an encyclopedia of Esoteric Buddhist iconography in ten scrolls, with detailed descriptions of the attributes of the various Myoo. This scroll is stylistically close to the oldest surviving version of the Zuzo sho, housed at Daigoji Temple in Kyoto from approximately 1193.
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Title:
Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom (Myoo-bu shoson)
Caption:
Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom (Myoo-bu shoson). Culture: Japan. Dimensions: 13 1/4 in. x 42 ft. 2 3/16 in. (33.7 x 1285.7 cm). Date: 12th century. The Five Great Kings of Wisdom (Godai Myoo) are ferocious-looking deities who ward off evil in order to protect the Buddha's law. The opening section of this scroll shows various depictions of Fudo Myoo, the Immovable King of Wisdom. The surrounding mandorla of flames represents the extinguishing of human passions. Accompanying the illustrations are schematic drawings of the deity's attributes: a vajra "thunderbolt" sword (a symbol for cutting through ignorance), an eight-spoked dharmachakra disk, and a two-pronged vajra with rope. The Zuzo sho (or Jikkansho) is an encyclopedia of Esoteric Buddhist iconography in ten scrolls, with detailed descriptions of the attributes of the various Myoo. This scroll is stylistically close to the oldest surviving version of the Zuzo sho, housed at Daigoji Temple in Kyoto from approximately 1193.
Technique/material:
Handscroll; ink and color on paper
Period:
Heian period (794-1185)
Museum:
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, USA
Credit:
Album / Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY
Releases:
Model: No - Property: No
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Image size:
4800 x 1900 px | 26.1 MB
Print size:
40.6 x 16.1 cm | 16.0 x 6.3 in (300 dpi)
Keywords:
ASIA • ASIAN ART • HANDSCROLL; INK AND COLOR ON PAPER • HANDSCROLLS • HEIAN PERIOD (794-1185) • INK • JAPAN • METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART, NEW YORK, USA • PAINTINGS • PAPER • SCROLL PAINTINGS