Monju on a Lion

Shūsei

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom known as Monju in Japan, sits cross-legged on the back of his lion vehicle. Monju appears as a youth in flowing robes, his hair worn long and loose; one of his attributes, a scepter, is placed casually on the ground before him. Although it is a decidedly carefree interpretation, the iconography seen here is consistent with works by painters affiliated with the Zen monastery Tōfukuji in Kyoto.

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