Danjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō Myōō

Danjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō Myōō

Utagawa Kunisada

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Benkei is an armed and courageous warrior. Seated on a pile of humans, this character presents overlapping images of the superpowerful heroes Benkei and Fudō Myōō (Immovable Guardian King of the Buddhist Law), holding a sword and a rosary. Fudō Myōō, particularly at the Shinshōji temple in Narita, is a protector of the Ichikawa family. This surimono, a privately commissioned print, might have been a New Year's gift to celebrate the birth of the future Danjūrō VIII.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Danjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō MyōōDanjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō MyōōDanjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō MyōōDanjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō MyōōDanjūrō VII's Benkei as Fudō Myōō

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.