Kongara-doji 1387

"Kongara-doji" (1387) is a hanging scroll painting by the Japanese Zen Buddhist monk Ryūshū Shūtaku (Myōtaku) (1307-1388). The painting depicts the fierce Kongara-doji, a protector deity of Buddhist teachings, with a menacing expression and a strong, imposing figure. The deity stands on a platform, holding a serpent-like figure, and is rendered with the expressive brushwork characteristic of Shūtaku's style. This artwork is a powerful example of the artistic and spiritual sophistication of Zen Buddhism in medieval Japan, and the work currently resides at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.