大威徳明王|Daiitoku Myōō

Unknown

12th century · Hanging scroll; ink on paper · Asian Art

Daiitoku is a wrathful and protective Wisdom King (Myōō), whose Sanskrit name means “one who stops the power of the King of Hell.” He is shown with multiple heads, eyes, legs, and arms. In four hands he holds a trident, a wheel, a sword, and a jeweled club, while he joins his other two hands with both middle fingers extended, in the mudra of restraint (konpon-in). Painted images of Wisdom Kings like Daiitoku were used in rituals to protect society from harm. The red seal at the lower right of this drawing is an indication of the work’s early owner: the Buddhist monastery Kōzanji in Kyoto.

Artist

Unknown

Date

12th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink on paper

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

The Harry G. C. Packard Collection of Asian Art, Gift of Harry G. C. Packard, and Purchase, Fletcher, Rogers, Harris Brisbane Dick, and Louis V. Bell Funds, Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, and The Annenberg Fund Inc. Gift, 1975