Untitled

Unidentified artist

16th or 17th century · Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk · Asian Art

This grouping of thirteen Buddhist deities, consisting of five buddhas, seven bodhisattvas, and one wisdom king, is worshipped in the Shingon school. Each deity is the focus of one of thirteen memorial services conducted to pray for the postmortem wellbeing of a deceased person, held in the days, weeks, and years following death. This practice, which emerged in Japan in the fourteenth century and was widespread during the Muromachi period, is related to worship of the Ten Kings of Hell.

Artist

Unidentified artist

Date

16th or 17th century

Medium

Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

Gift of Sue Cassidy Clark, in honor of Barbara Brennan Ford, 2021