Wisdom King of Great Awe-inspiring Power (Daiitoku Myōō)
Unknown Artist
mid-1800s
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk
Dimensions
250 × 143 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Japanese Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
John L. Severance Fund
Accession Number
1976.72
About this artwork
In Esoteric Buddhism, there is one Buddha at the center of the universe, and four additional Buddhas, each of whom occupies one of the four cardinal directions. These Buddhas also manifest themselves in fierce forms called Kings of Brightness (myōō), or Wisdom Kings. Daiitoku is an avatar of the Buddha Amida and manages the west.