Untitled

Unknown

17th–18th century · Applique of various Chinese silks, silvered and gilded leather shapes on silk satin ground; embellished with couched silk cord and embroidery · Asian Art

This monumental appliqué shows Manjushri with his identifying attributes—a sword and book on adjacent lotuses—riding a blue lion. Manchu rulers, especially Emperor Qianlong (r. 1736–95), revered this bodhisattva; the Suzhou imperial workshop likely fabricated the piece as a gift to a Tibetan monastery. Various silks were used: silk strips to suggest the volume of the folds in his garment and couched silk cords to delineate the lion’s mane and tail. Above, the blue Buddha Akshobhya attests to Chinese familiarity with Tibetan conventions. At lower left is the pilgrim Sudhana, the ideal devotee who receives teachings from Manjushri.

Artist

Unknown

Date

17th–18th century

Medium

Applique of various Chinese silks, silvered and gilded leather shapes on silk satin ground; embellished with couched silk cord and embroidery

Culture

China

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1915