Water-Moon Kannon (Suigetsu Kannon)
Unknown Artist
1868–1912
Medium
hanging scroll, ink, gold, silver, color, and cut gold-leaf on silk
Dimensions
painting: 104.5 × 41.9 cm · overall with knobs: 188.9 × 64.8 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Accession Number
1992.119
About this artwork
Kannon represents a primary figure of benevolence and compassion in the Buddhist pantheon. Identified early in Buddhist texts as a close attendant to the Buddha, by the 700s Kannon's popularity soared to such an extent in China, Korea, and Japan that the bodhisattva was often worshipped independently. Here at the lower left, Kannon is depicted with the child Zenzai Dōji (Sakskrit: Sudhana), a wealthy boy who, according to the final chapter of the Flower Garland Sutra, visited Kannon's abode Fuda...