Shakyamuni preaching
date: label: Date
content: 16th century
label: Period
content: Muromachi period
notes: label: Label
content: The Historical Buddha, Shakyamuni, is shown seated on a throne in the form of a lotus, an important symbol in Buddhism representing, among other concepts, purity, perfection, and divine birth. The Buddha raises his right hand in a symbolic gesture, or mudra, of protection and reassurance, and his expression reflects a contemplative tranquillity that inspires peaceful meditation. This painting was originally mounted as a hanging scroll to be displayed on special occasions of ceremony or worship.
label: Provenance
content: To 1904
label: Provenance
content: Yamanaka & Company, to 1904 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1904 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1904 [2]
label: Provenance
content: From 1920
label: Provenance
content: Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
label: Provenance
content: Notes:
label: Provenance
content: [1] Undated folder sheet note. Also see Original Kakemono List, pg. 89, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. The majority of Charles Lang Freer’s purchases from Yamanaka & Company were made at its New York branch. Yamanaka & Company maintained branch offices, at various times, in Boston, Chicago, London, Peking, Shanghai, Osaka, Nara, and Kyoto. During the summer, the company also maintained seasonal locations in Newport, Bar Harbor, and Atlantic City.
label: Provenance
content: [2] See note 1.
label: Provenance
content: [3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
label: Collection
content: Freer Gallery of Art Collection
label: Exhibition History
content: A Journey of Taste: Freer and Japanese Scroll Mounting (April 15, 2023 to March 3, 2024)
label: Exhibition History
content: The Historical Buddha and Friends (November 3, 2018 to May 5, 2019)
label: Exhibition History
content: Religious Art of Japan (December 18, 2002 to January 4, 2015)
label: Exhibition History
content: Buddhist Art (May 9, 1993 to August 9, 2011)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)
label: Previous custodian or owner
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
place: label: Origin
content: Japan
topic: label: Topic
content: Buddhism
label: Topic
content: Muromachi period (1333 - 1573)
label: Topic
content: Japan
label: Topic
content: preaching
label: Topic
content: Shakyamuni
label: Topic
content: kakemono
label: Topic
content: Japanese Art
label: Topic
content: Charles Lang Freer collection
setName: label: Related Online Resources
content: Google Arts & Culture
label: See more items in
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Collection
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Charles Lang Freer
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: F1904.3
objectType: label: Type
content: Painting
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Color and gold on silk panel
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (image): 103.4 x 48.2 cm (40 11/16 x 19 in)