Who painted Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities?

Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities was painted by Unknown in 1304.

Where can I see Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities?

Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities?

Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities is associated with Joseon dynasty painting.

Artwork

Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities

Unknown , 1304

Shakyamuni with the Sixteen Benevolent Deities is an unspecified painting by the Joseon dynasty painting artist Unknown. It dates from 1304 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This painting depicts a sacred Buddhist scene, featuring the historical Buddha Shakyamuni and attendant figures.

Accession no.: 1941.279
Credit line: Gift of Mrs. Henry S. Upson, 25th Anniversary Gift

About this work

You see a golden Buddha sitting on a lotus, flanked by two smaller figures and ringed by sixteen colorful deities.

You see a golden Buddha sitting on a lotus, flanked by two smaller figures and ringed by sixteen colorful deities. Below them stands a monk in red robes.

This painting comes from a time when Japan was split between two rival courts. The artist used bright colors and gold leaf to show the sacred world, no shadows, just light. The monk at the bottom is Xuanzang, the real-life traveler who brought Buddhist texts from India to China.

To see more art from this time, look up the subject: japan, nanbokuchō period (1336–92).

Overview

This painting depicts a sacred Buddhist scene, featuring the historical Buddha Shakyamuni and attendant figures. Created during Japan's Nanbokuchō period, it showcases the artistic style of the time, characterized by the use of bright colors and gold leaf.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure, Shakyamuni, is flanked by the bodhisattvas Fugen and Monju, while sixteen deities protecting the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra surround them. The monk Xuanzang, a renowned Buddhist scholar and translator, is depicted at the bottom left, highlighting the significance of Buddhist scriptures and their transmission.

Technique & Style

The painting is executed in a style typical of the Nanbokuchō period, with a focus on bright, unmodulated colors and extensive use of gold leaf, creating a luminous, shadow-free representation of the sacred world.

Context

The artwork was created during a time of political division in Japan, when the country was split between two rival courts, a period that nonetheless saw significant cultural and artistic developments.