仏伝図|Scene from the Life of the Buddha
Unknown Artist
early 15th century
Medium
Section of a wall panel mounted as a hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk
Dimensions
Image: 29 3/4 in. × 44 in. (75.6 × 111.8 cm) Overall with mounting: 68 5/8 × 51 3/4 in. (174.3 × 131.4 cm) Overall with knobs: 68 5/8 × 54 1/2 in. (174.3 × 138.4 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Culture & Period
Japan · Muromachi period (1392–1573)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Alvin E. Friedman-Kien, 1993
Accession Number
1993.478.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Scene from the Life of Buddha*, created by an unknown artist in early 15th-century Japan during the Muromachi (1392–1573), captures a pivotal moment in Buddhist narrative art. Originally part of a wall panel, it has been remounted as a hanging scroll, showcasing, vibrant colors, and shimmering gold on silk—a luxurious medium reserved for temple decorations and elite patrons. The composition likely features serene gardens, musicians, the Buddha, and mythical dragons, evoking the splendor of paradise realms central to Japanese Buddhist iconography. In the Muromachi era, amid pol...