Artwork

Bodhisattva Samantabhadra purifies the path to enlightenment, with Manjushri, folio 348 (verso) from a Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array)

Bodhisattva Samantabhadra purifies the path to enlightenment, with Manjushri, folio 348 (verso) from a Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1100 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting, a folio from a Gandavyuha-sutra, illustrates a Buddhist narrative centered on Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjushri.

About this work

Technique & Style

It depicts the bodhisattva Samantabhadra together with Manjushri on the verso of leaf 348, functioning as an illustration within a Buddhist religious context.

The work is a painted folio on paper created in Nepal in 1100 as part of a Gandavyuha-sutra manuscript. It depicts the bodhisattva Samantabhadra together with Manjushri on the verso of leaf 348, functioning as an illustration within a Buddhist religious context. Executed in the style of early Nepali manuscript painting, the composition follows traditional iconographic conventions, with figures rendered in flat, outlined forms and muted mineral pigments.

The piece is classified as a religious painting and is presently held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

History & Provenance

The folio was created in 1100 in Nepal and originates from a larger Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array) manuscript, of which it constitutes folio 348 (verso). It depicts the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra together with Manjushri and is classified as a religious painting. The work is now held in the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, where it is accessioned under the number 1955.49.7.b. No earlier ownership history, commission details, or intermediate provenance are documented in the available sources, and no exhibition records are listed.

Overview

This painting, a folio from a Gandavyuha-sutra, illustrates a Buddhist narrative centered on Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjushri. It features three distinct scenes arranged side-by-side, each integrating painted figures with surrounding script. The artwork, despite its age, retains vibrant traces of its original palette, offering insight into devotional manuscript illumination and the visual interpretation of sacred texts.

Subject & Meaning

The artwork depicts a segment of the Gandavyuha-sutra, a significant Buddhist scripture. The title indicates the presence of Bodhisattva Samantabhadra, associated with purifying the path to enlightenment, and Manjushri. The three visual panels likely narrate stages or aspects of this spiritual journey, possibly featuring the kneeling man and horse as part of a seeker's quest within the sutra's broader narrative.

Context

This painting served as folio 348 (verso) within a larger Gandavyuha-sutra, also known as the Scripture of the Supreme Array. Its inclusion within such a religious manuscript suggests its role in conveying sacred narratives and teachings through visual means, complementing the written word. The integration of text and image was fundamental to the devotional and instructional purpose of these illuminated scriptures.

Artist & collection

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

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