Group of deva and devi
14th-15th century
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1904.313
Tags
About this artwork
The eighteen figures represented in these two paintings (see F1904.312) are all grouped under the Japanese name tenbu, or heavenly beings. The varied figures generally personify forces active in the cosmos; all trace their origins to indigenous beliefs of India and Central Asia. The inscriptions that identify each being are not completely reliable, however, the guardians of the four directions, shown as fierce warriors in the left-hand painting, and the deities of the sun and moon, seen here wit...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...