COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
ASIA.1979.209
amicoid
ASIA.1979.209
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
1998
aly
1998
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Paintings
oty
Paintings
Object Type
false
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Far East Asian; Japanese
crc
Asian; Far East Asian; Japanese
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Name-CRT:
Japanese
crt
Japanese
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Achala Vidyaraja (Fudo Myo-o) with Two Attendants
otn
Achala Vidyaraja (Fudo Myo-o) with Two Attendants
Title
false
View:
Full view
rid
Full view
View
false
Creation Date:
Kamakura period, early 14th century
oct
Kamakura period, early 14th century
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
1300
ocs
1300
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
1333
oce
1333
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
Ink, color, and gold on silk
omd
Ink, color, and gold on silk
Materials and Techniques
false
Creation Place:
Japan
ocp
Japan
Creation Place
false
Dimensions:
72 x 45 in. (182.9 x 114.3 cm)
met
72 x 45 in. (182.9 x 114.3 cm)
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
Asia Society
oon
Asia Society
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
New York, New York, USA
oop
New York, New York, USA
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1979.209
ooa
1979.209
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
ooc
Asia Society: The Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection
Credit Line
false
Parts and Pieces:
hanging scroll
opp
hanging scroll
Parts and Pieces
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.asiasociety.org"target="_new">http://www.asiasociety.org</a>
Rights
false
Context:
The introduction of Buddhism to Japan was one of the most important events in Japanese history and had a lasting effect on the development of its thought, art, and culture. According to Japanese sources, Buddhism was introduced from the Korean kingdom of Paekche in either 538 or 552 as part of a series of diplomatic exchanges that also led to a broader awareness of the beliefs and material culture of China and Korea. This large, powerful painting of Achala Vidyaraja with two young attendants illustrates the style of art popular at the end of the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Achala Vidyaraja is one of the many Buddhist deities introduced to Japan during the Heian period (794-1185) as part of the imagery associated with Esoteric Buddhism. Achala, whose name means "immovable," is one of a group of five wisdom kings or vidyarajas, each of whom represents the powers of one of the five buddhas who symbolize the five divisions of the Diamond World (Vajradhatu). Achala Vidyaraja, the most important of the five wisdom kings, represents the powers of Vairochana Buddha. Here Achala is seated with one leg folded over the other on an elaborate many-tiered platform and surrounded by swirling flames. He has a blue body, holds a sword with a double-vajra hilt and a lasso, and wears elaborate jewelry. He is shown with two of his ten young male attendants. Achala's form and clothing are full and heavy, and this sense of volume helps to distinguish this painting from earlier Kamakura-period works. The use of broad black outlines to define the form of the wisdom king, the weight of his jewelry, and the treatment of the decoration of his lower garment help date this painting to the early 14th century. Achala's red garment is decorated with geometric designs and floral roundels in cut gold leaf, similar to but larger in scale than similar motifs in earlier works.
A long inscription on the back of this painting states that it was remounted in 1596 and 1780 and that it was once in the collection of the Jizoin at the Kampozan monastery. A Shingon monastery of that name was built in Nagoya in 1728, and it seems likely that this painting was once in its possession.
cxd
The introduction of Buddhism to Japan was one of the most important events in Japanese history and had a lasting effect on the development of its thought, art, and culture. According to Japanese sources, Buddhism was introduced from the Korean kingdom of Paekche in either 538 or 552 as part of a series of diplomatic exchanges that also led to a broader awareness of the beliefs and material culture of China and Korea. This large, powerful painting of Achala Vidyaraja with two young attendants illustrates the style of art popular at the end of the Kamakura period (1185-1333). Achala Vidyaraja is one of the many Buddhist deities introduced to Japan during the Heian period (794-1185) as part of the imagery associated with Esoteric Buddhism. Achala, whose name means "immovable," is one of a group of five wisdom kings or <I>vidyarajas</I>, each of whom represents the powers of one of the five buddhas who symbolize the five divisions of the Diamond World (Vajradhatu). Achala Vidyaraja, the most important of the five wisdom kings, represents the powers of Vairochana Buddha. Here Achala is seated with one leg folded over the other on an elaborate many-tiered platform and surrounded by swirling flames. He has a blue body, holds a sword with a double-<I>vajra</I> hilt and a lasso, and wears elaborate jewelry. He is shown with two of his ten young male attendants. Achala's form and clothing are full and heavy, and this sense of volume helps to distinguish this painting from earlier Kamakura-period works. The use of broad black outlines to define the form of the wisdom king, the weight of his jewelry, and the treatment of the decoration of his lower garment help date this painting to the early 14th century. Achala's red garment is decorated with geometric designs and floral roundels in cut gold leaf, similar to but larger in scale than similar motifs in earlier works.<P>A long inscription on the back of this painting states that it was remounted in 1596 and 1780 and that it was once in the collection of the Jizoin at the Kampozan monastery. A Shingon monastery of that name was built in Nagoya in 1728, and it seems likely that this painting was once in its possession.</P>
Context
false
Related Document Description:
Asia Society. Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection. New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 94.
rdd
Asia Society. <I>Handbook of the Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection.</I> New York: Asia Society, [1981], p. 94.
Related Document Description
false
Related Document Description:
Fisher, Robert E. Buddhist Art and Architecture. London: Thames and Hudson, 1993, pp. 151-52.
rdd
Fisher, Robert E. <I>Buddhist Art and Architecture.</I> London: Thames and Hudson, 1993, pp. 151-52.
Related Document Description
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
ASIA.1979.209.a.tif
ril
ASIA.1979.209.a.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false