Miroku (Maitreya)
Unknown Artist
1300s
Medium
Hanging scroll, ink, color, gold, and cut gold on silk
Dimensions
painting only: 110.6 × 40.7 cm · mounted: 197 × 58.7 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Rosemarie and Leighton Longhi in memory of Robert P. Bergman
Accession Number
1999.195
About this artwork
In this image the figure of Miroku, Maitreya in Sanskrit, is richly adorned with gauzy fabrics, opulent jewels, and an intricate gold crown containing five seated Buddhas. Buddhist teachings say that Miroku will descend to Earth as a Buddha to restore Buddhist doctrine at the end of a long period of decline. Here he is represented as a bodhisattva, a being who has attained enlightenment but has chosen to postpone becoming a Buddha to help others reach enlightenment. Above the painting, three ins...