Gyoran Kannon
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
Image: 49 3/4 × 20 7/8 in. (126.4 × 53 cm) Overall with mounting: 86 1/4 × 26 1/8 in. (219 × 66.4 cm) Overall with knobs: 86 1/4 × 28 5/8 in. (219 × 72.7 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, 2015
Accession Number
2015.300.129
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the serene yet dynamic *Gyoran Kannon*, a masterful hanging scroll by Miyagawa Chōsh, a leading painter of Japan's Edo period (16151868). Created in ink and color on paper, this imposing work measures nearly 50 inches tall, designed for ritual display when unrolled from its mounting. Chōshun, active in the early 18th century, the refined Kanō school traditions with emerging ukiyo-e influences infusing Buddhist iconography with elegant, flowing lines and vibrant hues that capture the era's artistic vitality amid Japan's peaceful isolation. At its heart is Gyoran Kannon, a compassionate manifestation of the bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, known as the "Fish Basket Kannon" for her role in saving fishermen from drowning. Surrounded by motifs of men and bamboo—evoking resilience and natural harmony—the painting symbolizes mercy and salvation in Japanese Buddhism. The meticulous layering of ink washes and delicate colors on paper highlights Chōshun's skill in rendering movement and texture, from rippling water to sturdy stalks. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Mary Griggs Burke Collection, this scroll reflects Edo Japan's devotion to such devotional art, blending spirituality with aesthetic beauty for temple and private contemplation. A timeless reminder of compassion's embrace.
About the Artist
Miyagawa Chōshun · 1682–1752
Japanese, 1683–1753