Artwork Page for Shakyamuni under the Bodhi Tree

Details / Information for Shakyamuni under the Bodhi Tree

Shakyamuni under the Bodhi Tree

菩提樹下釋迦牟尼圖

1600–1650

China, Ming dynasty

(1368–1644)
Medium
hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Measurements
Painting: 128.5 x 62 cm (50 9/16 x 24 7/16 in.); Overall with knobs: 259 x 82.5 cm (101 15/16 x 32 1/2 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1971.68
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print
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Did You Know?

The blue-green style and grotesque goblins suggest an otherworldly sphere.

Description

The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is seated in meditative posture upon the backs of three demons under the bodhi tree, where he achieved enlightenment. All three demons have horns like devils, and two have green skin. While they accommodate the Buddha, his weight seems to keep them under control. Since the Buddha’s hands do not conform to any accepted gesture, the specific religious event portrayed is unclear.
A vertically oriented hanging scroll depicts a light-skinned Shakyamuni seated cross-legged beneath a towering tree with fan-like leaves. He wears a vibrant red robe and has blue hair and a beard. Shakyamuni sits atop two crouched demons, approximately a third his size; one is dark-skinned and the other light-skinned. Flowering shrubs and blue-green rocks border the base of the muted brown background.

Shakyamuni under the Bodhi Tree

1600–1650

China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

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