Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"

Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"

Utagawa Kuniyoshi

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Kuniyoshi's series of ten prints published in 1835–36 was an abridged biography of the life of the monk Nichiren (1222–1282), the founder of the Nichiren Buddhist sect, which is based on the worship of the Lotus Sutra. Nichiren lived in exile on Sado Island from 1271 to 1274. This particular masterpiece of ukiyo-e printmaking creates a perfect resonance between pictorial and emotional presentation. The severe snowstorm symbolizes the hardships Nichiren underwent during his exile. The monk demonstrates his strength of spirit by persevering in his uphill struggle.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"Monk Nichiren in Exile on Sado Island, from the series "Illustration of Famous Monks"

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.