Mandala of the Thirteen Buddhas (Jūsan butsu mandara)
16th or 17th century
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk
Dimensions
Image: 37 × 15 5/8 in. (94 × 39.7 cm) Overall with mounting: 63 1/4 × 21 in. (160.7 × 53.3 cm) Overall with knobs: 63 1/4 × 23 1/8 in. (160.7 × 58.7 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Muromachi 1392–1573), Momoyama (1573–1615), or Edo (1615–1868) period
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Sue Cassidy Clark, in honor of Barbara Brennan Ford, 2021
Accession Number
2021.396.1
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the Asian Art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art where this exquisite *Mandala of the Thirteenhas (Jūsan butsu mandara)* transports visitors to Japan's Muromachi, Momoyama, or early Edo periods (16th or 17th century). by an unidentified artist, this hanging scroll depicts the sacred assembly of thirteen enlightened beings central to Japanese esoteric Buddhism, particularly the Shingon tradition. These figures—ranging from Buddhas to bodhisattvas and wisdom kings—are arranged in a symmetrical mandala pattern, symbolizing cosmic harmony and the path to enlightenment. Crafted...