Samantabhadra on an Elephant with Two Attendants

보현보살도 [普賢菩薩圖]

1392–1910

Korea, Joseon dynasty

(1392–1910)

Medium

Ink and color on paper

Measurements

Painting only: 52.7 x 28 cm (20 3/4 x 11 in.); Overall: 71.1 x 55.9 cm (28 x 22 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust 1915.219

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

The oval face with the pointy chin and wide forehead is a typical depiction of women in 19th-century paintings like this one.

Description

By the late 18th century, subjects that deal with Daoist immortals and their fantasy stories were increasingly chosen for paintings. For their wish-granting message, Daoist figure paintings such as this one were often commissioned to celebrate festive occasions. Judging from its dimension, this paining may have been part of either a small-size multi-panel folding screen or a large-size album that depicts a series of Daoist immortals and Buddhist deities.