Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Kings of Hells: Leaf 28
1204
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1204
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
You see a small, detailed painting of a hell king seated on a throne, surrounded by demons torturing the dead. This is one leaf from an album used to train artists—like a medieval how-to guide. The kings judge souls, deciding their punishments based on past lives. The scenes are packed with tiny, gruesome details, meant to teach both skill and morality. To see more of these eerie, instructional works, look up subject: china, southern song dynasty (1127-1279).
