The World of Devas
14th century
Classification
Painting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Accession Number
F1904.342
Tags
About this artwork
This painting depicts the imagined heavenly realm in which the absence of desire produces freedom from sorrow. In the heavens dwell devas, celestial beings, who are surrounded by attendants and musicians. Like F1904.343, this painting was created to give tangible form to complex Buddhist ideas regarding illusion, attachment, and rebirth.
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...