Daigensui Myōō 1868
kanohogai
minneapolisinstituteofart
hanging-scroll
natural stone pattern
naturalistic pattern
abstract painting
japan
hanging-scroll
tile art
fluid art
abstract pattern
linocut print
organic pattern
flower pattern
layered pattern
Kano Hōgai, a prominent Japanese artist, created *Daigensui Myōō* in 1868. This vertical hanging scroll, measuring 29 3/8 × 10 9/16 in., depicts a fierce Buddhist deity, Daigensui Myōō, with multiple arms, a fiery halo, and a dynamic pose. The scroll’s red background and gold details create a striking contrast, typical of Hōgai's late period characterized by bold brushstrokes and an expressive use of ink. This artwork is currently housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
Comments
This outstanding work is a hoso-e, a kind of charm used as protection against or recovery from smallpox, as red was believed to ward off plague and disaster. Usually showing a heroic figure, this painting features one of the fierce five Wisdom Kings in Esoteric Buddhism. The painting is accompanied by a letter from Kamiryo Seiju, a physician and good friend of Hōgai, explaining to a priest that this painting was used in rituals as a religious icon.
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