Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great Disciples

Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great Disciples

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

At the center of this richly painted icon is the historical Buddha, Shaka (Shakyamuni in Sanskrit). He is flanked by his attendants, Monju and Fugen, who, respectively, ride a blue lion and white elephant and represent Buddhist wisdom and practice. This holy trio is accompanied by the ten major disciples.Rendered in fine pigments and gold on silk, this workis a testament to the influence of Chinese Buddhist painting of the Song dynasty (960–1279) on medieval Japanese Buddhist painting. The anonymous artist probably modeled his work after an example imported from China.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great DisciplesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great DisciplesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great DisciplesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great DisciplesShaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and the Ten Great Disciples

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.