地蔵菩薩像 (Jizō Bosatsu ryūzō)|Jizō, Bodhisattva of the Earth Store (Kshitigarbha)

Unknown

late 12th–mid-13th century · Wood with lacquer, pigment, and cut gold · Asian Art

Here, the bodhisattva Jizō (Sanskrit: Kshitigarbha) takes the guise of an itinerant monk. He holds in his left hand a wish-fulfilling jewel and in his right a monk’s staff topped with six rings that jingle to announce his arrival. Jizō’s compassionate presence illuminates the righteous way from hell to paradise, and he saves from harm those who call out to him. The beautiful flowing movement of the garment helps date this work to the early Kamakura period. The lower half of the sculpture bears traces of richly colored paint and cut-gold decoration, providing a rare glimpse of the work’s original appearance.

Artist

Unknown

Date

late 12th–mid-13th century

Medium

Wood with lacquer, pigment, and cut gold

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1918