Artwork

Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Procession of Daoist Deities: Leaf 11

Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Procession of Daoist Deities: Leaf 11 is an unspecified painting by the Song dynasty painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1204 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Accession no.: 2004.1.11
Credit line: John L. Severance Fund in honor of Dr. Ju-hsi Chou and Gift of various donors to the department of Asian Art (by exchange)

About this work

The artist mixed Daoist gods with a legendary inventor of writing, showing how religion and culture blended in China at the time.

You see five figures in bright robes and armor, marching in a line against a plain background. Each one carries weapons or scrolls, and the first has three faces and six arms.

This small painting was part of an album used for rituals or teaching. The artist mixed Daoist gods with a legendary inventor of writing, showing how religion and culture blended in China at the time. The faces and poses are simple but full of energy.

To see more like it, look up china, southern song dynasty (1127-1279).

Overview

This album leaf painting, part of a ritual or educational collection, depicts a procession of five prominent figures against a plain background, blending Daoist deities with a cultural icon.

Subject & Meaning

The scene showcases the Four Daoist Saints in martial attire (Field Marshal Tianpeng, Vice Marshal Tianyou, True Lord Yisheng, and True Lord Yousheng) alongside Cang Jie, inventor of written language, highlighting the intersection of religious and cultural elements in Southern Song Dynasty China.

Technique & Style

Characterized by simple yet energetic faces and poses, the figures are rendered in bright robes and armor, with Marshal Tianpeng uniquely depicted with three faces and six arms, evoking Buddhist asura influences.

History & Provenance

Created during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), this leaf was part of an album used in rituals or teaching, reflecting the religious and educational practices of the time.

Context

Reflects the dynastic period's cultural blending, where Daoist and Buddhist themes coexisted and influenced each other, as seen in the fusion of deities and the incorporation of a legendary figure from Chinese culture.