聖徳太子絵伝図|Illustrated Biography of Prince Shōtoku (Shōtoku Taishi e-den)

Unknown

14th century · One of two hanging scrolls; ink, color, and gold on silk · Asian Art

Prince Shōtoku (574–622), a preeminent champion of Buddhism against the hereditary clans in charge of Shinto ritual, was venerated within a century after his death as an incarnation of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Monks told parables about him inspired by the life of the Buddha, and episodes from his life decorated temples and shrines, aiding the spread of popular Buddhism throughout medieval Japan. This hanging scroll and its pair depict sixty-two such scenes from the prince’s life, shown neither chronologically nor in an orderly spatial sequence but instead identified by accompanying inscriptions. Although Shōtoku lived during the early seventh century, when the capital was located in Asuka, these fourteenth-century paintings depict costumed figures, festive activities, and architectural settings inspired by the Kyoto imperial court during the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura years.

Artist

Unknown

Date

14th century

Medium

One of two hanging scrolls; ink, color, and gold on silk

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929