Where can I see 仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha?

仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is 仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha?

仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha is associated with Joseon dynasty painting.

Artwork

仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha

仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha is an ink painting. It dates from 1416 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This artwork, titled Scene from the Life of the Buddha, is a section of a larger wall panel, now presented as a hanging scroll.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Together, these motifs function as a visual shorthand for the nativity narrative, conveying both the sacred and the joyous dimensions of the moment.

This painting illustrates a narrative episode from the life of the Buddha, specifically the Birth of the Buddha as identified by its main subject. The composition brings together several iconographic elements drawn from the Buddhist hagiographic tradition: the Buddha himself, a dragon, a garden setting, and a musician. The garden and dragon references allude to the miraculous circumstances surrounding the Buddha's birth, in which his mother Maya is said to have given birth in a garden while celestial dragons anointed the child with water.

The inclusion of a musician reflects the celebratory atmosphere traditionally associated with this event, as heavenly beings are described as rejoicing at the Buddha's arrival. Together, these motifs function as a visual shorthand for the nativity narrative, conveying both the sacred and the joyous dimensions of the moment. Rendered in ink, color, and gold on silk and mounted as a hanging scroll, the work serves as a devotional object meant to communicate the spiritual significance of the Buddha's birth.

Technique & Style

Created in 1416, this work is executed in ink, color, and gold on a silk support. Originally a section of a wall panel, the artwork was later mounted as a hanging scroll, a transformation that reflects its transition from architectural decoration to a portable object for veneration. The composition depicts the birth of the Buddha within a garden setting, featuring figures such as a dragon and a musician.

Measuring 75 centimeters in height and 111.5 centimeters in width, the piece exemplifies Japanese religious painting techniques of the early fifteenth century. The use of gold alongside traditional ink and pigments on silk highlights the devotional importance of the subject matter, while the mounting method preserves the integrity of the original painted surface.

History & Provenance

The work, titled 仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha, was produced in Japan in 1416 as a section of a wall panel that was later mounted as a hanging scroll. It is executed in ink, color and gold on silk and classified as a religious painting depicting the Birth of the Buddha alongside a dragon, garden and musician. The piece is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York.

The dating of 1416 is documented in both the work's catalog entry and its Wikidata record. No accession number or specific exhibition records are provided in the available documentation.

Context

The work titled 仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha, dated 1416, is recorded as a section of a wall panel mounted as a hanging scroll executed in ink, color and gold on silk. It is classified as a painting within the religious genre and depicts the Buddha together with a dragon, garden and musician. According to its entry at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the piece is categorized as Japanese religious art identified as depicting the Birth of the Buddha, placing it within the early Muromachi Buddhist painting tradition.

The artist remains unidentified, and the work is held in the Met's collection as an exemplar of 15th-century Japanese devotional painting.

Overview

This artwork, titled Scene from the Life of the Buddha, is a section of a larger wall panel, now presented as a hanging scroll. Executed with ink, color, and gold on silk, it depicts a rich narrative from the Buddha's biography. Originally adorning a temple wall in Japan, its intricate details and luminous gold were designed to be viewed in dim light, serving as a visual aid for spiritual contemplation and instruction.

Artist & collection

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art

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