Unknown maker
Welcoming Descent of Jizō1200s
The bodhisattva Jizō—an enlightened being who refuses to become a Buddha in order to aid other beings in their quest for enlightenment—appears as a Buddhist monk carrying a wish-fulfilling jewel and a golden staff topped with rings. More about this work
About this work
The bodhisattva Jizō—an enlightened being who refuses to become a Buddha in order to aid other beings in their quest for enlightenment—appears as a Buddhist monk carrying a wish-fulfilling jewel and a golden staff topped with rings. He descends with each of his feet balanced atop a lotus, borne by clouds to save a suffering believer who has called out for his help. Jizō is well known among Buddhists for rescuing people from the many Buddhist hells.
Text from the Cleveland Museum of Art.
How it was made
- Hanging scroll
- A painting mounted on silk with a wooden roller at the foot. It was rolled up for storage and brought out to hang for a season, a guest or an occasion.
- Ink and colour on silk
- Silk was sized with glue and alum so it would hold a crisp brushline, and mineral colours were built up in thin layers. The sheen of the weave still shows through.
Rights and the museum’s record
Public domain. The Cleveland Museum of Art has dedicated this image to the public domain under CC0, so anyone may copy, adapt and use it, for any purpose, without asking. Our prints and files are reproductions made from the museum’s image; the museum doesn’t endorse them.
- Object number
- 1983.75
- Credit
- Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art
- Type
- Painting
- Department
- Japanese Art
- Licence
- CC0 1.0 Universal
- Museum record
- See it on the museum’s site
