Jizō Bosatsu (Sanskrit: Ksitigharba)

Unidentified

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The figure of the compassionate bodhisattva Jizō (Sanskrit: Ksitigarbha) is set against a blank silk background, his head encircled by an aureole with a double outline made from finely cut-gold leaf. The bodhisattva holds his customary attributes: a long, slender staff topped with metal rings, and a wish-granting jewel, now rendered transparent with age. He wears a Buddhist monk’s robe that is richly embellished with designs in cut-gold leaf, and stands upon a lotus pedestal, also delineated with gold. His countenance is serene and peaceful, with pursed rosebud lips and an urna (circular mark on the forehead) between his eyebrows, signifying his status within the Buddhist pantheon of deities. This hanging scroll painting typifies Nanbokuchō-period Buddhist images of single deities, with its blank background and exquisitely detailed rendering of the figure, garment patterns, accoutrements, and lotus pedestal. The application of finely cut strips of gold leaf, known as kirikane, is a method of decoration that was used for both Buddhist paintings and sculpture during this period. Altogether, this work displays the courtly refinement in Buddhist painting that carried on from the late Heian period into the Kamakura and Nanbokuchō years.

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