Fudō Myōō Threatening a Novice

Tsukioka Yoshitoshi

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A legend about Abbot Yūten (1637–1718) of Zōjōji Temple tells how, as a novice, he prayed for Fudō Myōō’s aid to become a wise monk. He then dreamed that the statue of Fudō leaped down from its pedestal and made him swallow one of his swords; upon waking, he became an excellent cleric. In this scene, Fudō aims his sword at Yūten while the deity’s attendants witness his magical power. Tsukioka Yoshitoshi was one of the great innovators of Meiji ukiyo-e; here, his triptych features an airy, theatrical type of composition associated with his late style, with a hint of the violence that characterized many of his earlier works.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art