Where can I see The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi?

The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi is held by Cleveland Museum of Art.

What movement is The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi?

The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi is associated with Ming dynasty painting.

Artwork

The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi

The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1454 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a religious work, the piece serves to visualize these protective and divine assemblies, reflecting cosmological beliefs associated with these entities.

Created in 1454, the painting depicts the Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi, a theme rooted in religious art traditions. The title identifies the specific celestial and semi-divine groups represented: the Devas (gods), Nagas (serpent spirits), and Yakshis (nature spirits or guardians). As a religious work, the piece serves to visualize these protective and divine assemblies, reflecting cosmological beliefs associated with these entities.

The composition presents these eight distinct hosts as the central subject, embodying their spiritual significance within the context of the artwork's devotional purpose.

History & Provenance

The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi is a religious painting produced in China in 1454 by an unidentified artist. Its early provenance is undocumented; the work entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s collection and is recorded under accession number 1973.70.2. No specific commission or later owners are recorded in the available sources, and the painting remains housed at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

The painting The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi is part of the Cleveland Museum of Art's collection, accessioned under the number 1973.70.2. It is housed in the museum's designated gallery space in Cleveland, Ohio. The work dates to 1454, reflecting its creation in China during the mid‑15th century.

No exhibition records are noted in the consulted documentation, suggesting that the piece has not been featured in publicly listed exhibitions up to the present.

Overview

This painting, titled The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi, depicts a celestial gathering of eight figures. They are shown suspended amidst a dynamic sky filled with swirling clouds. The artwork is characterized by its vibrant palette and the intricate detailing of the figures' attire and accessories, presenting a scene of divine beings in a heavenly realm.

Technique & Style

The artist employed a vivid color scheme, utilizing bright blues, greens, and golds that contrast with the softer, more ethereal quality of the cloud-filled background. The figures' robes are rendered in rich hues, complemented by elaborate headpieces. The composition features the eight figures floating, their forms distinct against the soft, billowy clouds, creating a sense of movement and elevation within the scene.

The Eight Hosts of Deva, Naga, and Yakshi

Artist & collection

Museum

Cleveland Museum of Art

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