Shotoku Taishi 1800

Kogan Gengei's "Shotoku Taishi" (1800) is a striking example of Japanese ink painting, also known as suibokuga. The artwork depicts Shotoku Taishi, a revered figure in Japanese Buddhism, in a simple yet expressive style. Gengei, a renowned artist of the Edo period, masterfully uses black ink to create a sense of movement and depth, highlighting the flowing lines of the figure's robe and the wispy tendrils of incense. This hanging scroll, now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, exemplifies the aesthetic values of Zen Buddhism, emphasizing simplicity and mindfulness.