青面金剛夜叉図大津絵|Ōtsu-e of Shōmen Kongōyasha (Vajrayaksha)

The work is a hanging scroll painted in ink, color, and gold on paper depicting Shōmen Kongōyasha, a Vajrayaksha figure, in the Ōtsu-e style. It was created in Japan around 1600 by an anonymous artist. The piece entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view.

The painting was acquired by the museum and is cataloged under accession number 1975.268.141.

The work is classified as a religious painting within the broader category of Japanese paintings.

The Ōtsu-e painting depicting Shōmen Kongōyasha is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, created around 1600 by an unknown artist, is cataloged within the museum's holdings under the accession number 1975.268.141. While the piece is identified as part of this major New York institution's permanent collection, the available records do not list specific past exhibitions or loan history for this particular scroll.

The work is a hanging scroll painted with ink, color, and gold on paper, representing a figure known as Shōmen Kongōyasha, a deity associated with the Vajrayaksha tradition. The central figure dominates the composition, set against a vivid backdrop of greens, blues, and reds, and is framed by a halo that emphasizes its supernatural presence.

Shōmen Kongōyasha is a manifestation of the vajra‑wielding protector in Buddhist practice, often invoked for protection against evil. The depiction aligns with contemporary visual conventions that emphasize the deity’s ferocity and power, reflecting the religious climate of the time.

While not a court‑commissioned masterpiece, the scroll exemplifies the spread of Buddhist iconography into popular visual culture. Its vivid palette and accessible format contributed to the broader dissemination of protective deities in Edo‑period religious art.