En no Gyōja
Unknown Artist
1200s
Medium
wood
Dimensions
h. 74.9 cm
Classification
Sculpture
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1975.65
About this artwork
This Buddhist monk is known as En no Gyōja, or “En the Ascetic” (legendarily 634–701), who is said to have founded Shugendō, a style of religious practice focused on performing challenging, rigorous tests of courage and devotion in mountainous settings.