Artwork
『妙法蓮華経』 「観世音菩薩普門品」|“Universal Gateway,” Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra
『妙法蓮華経』 「観世音菩薩普門品」|“Universal Gateway,” Chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra is an ink painting by Sugawara Mitsushige. It dates from 1257 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
- Accession no.
- 53.7.3
- Credit line
- Purchase, Louisa Eldridge McBurney Gift, 1953
About this work
Technique & Style
Brushwork demonstrates delicate line work and subtle gradations of color that emphasize the bodhisattva’s serene expression and flowing drapery.
The work is executed as a handscroll painted in ink and polychrome pigments with gold leaf highlights on paper, a format typical of 13th‑century Japanese religious paintings. The support is a single sheet of paper designed to be unrolled sequentially, allowing intimate viewing of the figure of Kannon. Brushwork demonstrates delicate line work and subtle gradations of color that emphasize the bodhisattva’s serene expression and flowing drapery.
The painting was created in Japan in 1257 by Sugawara Mitsushige and is classified as a religious artwork within the Buddhist canon. The sources record its location in the Metropolitan Museum of Art but do not provide further details on its present condition.
History & Provenance
The handscroll was produced in 1257 in Japan by the Buddhist painter Sugawara Mitsushige. Executed in ink, color and gold on paper, the work illustrates the Universal Gateway chapter of the Lotus Sutra and portrays a Bodhisattva within a Buddhist context. Its religious genre aligns with contemporary devotional art of the period.
The piece was later acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains in the museum’s collection today. No earlier ownership records are documented in the available sources, and the work was created as a devotional painting rather than a commissioned portrait.
Overview
This handscroll, created by Sugawara Mitsushige in 1257, illustrates the "Universal Gateway" chapter of the Lotus Sutra. Rendered with ink, color, and gold on paper, it is a significant religious painting from the Kamakura period. The artwork visually interprets Buddhist teachings, primarily focusing on the benevolent figure of the Bodhisattva, a central theme within the sutra's narrative.
Subject & Meaning
The painting visually interprets the "Universal Gateway" chapter, which extols the compassionate power of the Bodhisattva, a being who delays nirvana to help others. The central figure, depicted with a benevolent expression and flowing robes, is shown floating above a gathering, extending a gentle blessing. This imagery conveys the Bodhisattva's role in offering salvation and solace to those in distress, a core tenet of the Lotus Sutra.
Artist & collection
