Portrait of Xuanzang (Genjō) with Attendant 1300 - 1333

"Portrait of Xuanzang (Genjō) with Attendant" is a 14th-century hanging scroll painting by Kasuga Motomitsu. It depicts Xuanzang, a renowned Chinese Buddhist monk who traveled to India in the 7th century to study Buddhist scriptures, and an attendant carrying an incense burner. The figures are rendered in a style that is characteristic of Japanese painting from this period, with a strong emphasis on line and form. Xuanzang’s calm demeanor and the attendant’s respectful posture evoke the reverence surrounding the subject, highlighting the importance of Buddhism in Japanese society at the time. The artwork is currently located in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.