『図像抄』〈十巻抄〉明王部諸尊|Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom (Myōō-bu shoson)

The handscroll titled 『図像抄』〈十巻抄〉明王部諸尊, also known as Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom, was produced in 1142 in Japan. Executed in ink and color on paper, the work belongs to the religious painting genre and depicts Buddhist deities wielding swords. Its authorship is attributed to an anonymous painter, a fact confirmed by cataloguing data from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The piece entered the museum's collection at an unspecified date, where it remains on view today. No records detail a specific commissioning patron or original patronymic, leaving the commission and early ownership chain undocumented;.

This handscroll, titled Iconographic Drawings of the Five Kings of Wisdom, depicts a series of powerful Buddhist deities using ink and color on paper. It serves as a visual guide to the Myōō-bu shoson, or Wisdom Kings, who are central figures in Japanese Buddhist tradition. The artwork's primary function was didactic, intended to educate viewers about these protective guardians rather than solely for ornamental display within a sacred space.

Unlike many artworks created for temple adornment, this handscroll served a specific pedagogical purpose. Its design as an iconographic drawing suggests it was a teaching tool, intended to instruct individuals on the correct depiction and understanding of these important Buddhist deities. Such scrolls were crucial for transmitting religious knowledge and ensuring the accurate representation of sacred figures within the broader practice of Japanese Buddhism.