Eleven-Headed Kannon (Jūichimen Kannon)
1204
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1204
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Eleven-Headed Kannon (Jūichimen Kannon) is a 1204 unspecified by Unknown, depicting Kamakura Period, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a golden figure with eleven small heads stacked above the main one, all floating on a cloud. This painting was made for private prayer, not a temple. The silk is fine, the colors bright—someone rich kept it close. The extra heads let the deity see suffering in every direction. Look up more works from the subject: japan, kamakura period (1185–1333).
The Eleven-Headed Kannon, a deity of mercy and compassion in the Buddhist pantheon, was introduced into Japan in the 600s. By the 700s it had gained in popularity among an increasing number of believers, a condition it enjoyed until the end of the Kamakura period. The modest size and high quality of the materials apparent in this work indicate its use as a private devotional image. An earlier restoration of this painting included the use of an entire silk backing layer rather than silk patches with a paper backing. The tension that resulted between these two layers of silk, one old and the…
Read the full account in the museum source.
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