Nine Guardian Kings
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on paper
Dimensions
77 1/2 x 39 5/8 in. (196.9 x 100.6 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
China · Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Needle, 1957
Accession Number
57.112
Art Historical Context
Behold the majestic *Nine Guardian Kings*, a captivating hanging scroll from China's Ming dynasty (13681644), now gracing the Metropolitan Museum of's Asian Art collection.ed by an unidentified artist ink and color on paper this monumental work measures an impressive 77½ x 39⅝ inches (196.9 x 100.6 cm). Hanging scrolls like this were prized in elite Chinese households and temples, unrolled for contemplation during rituals or scholarly gatherings, embodying the era's reverence for art as a spiritual and cultural bridge. In Ming dynasty painting, such guardian figures—fierce protectors drawn fr...