The Bosatsu Jizo and Ten Kings of Hell
date: label: Date
content: 1185-1333
label: Period
content: Kamakura period
notes: label: Label
content: The bosatsu (bodhisattva) Jizo is one of the most easily recognized figures in Japanese Buddhist iconography. The young, demure, shaven-pate monk was revered as a manifestation of the Buddha's concern and compassion for children, warriors, travelers, women in childbirth, and those suffering in hell. In the period of social chaos and warfare that swept through Japan in the late twelfth century and again in the fourteenth century, the cult of Jizo expanded widely, and his image can be observed in a variety of settings in both painting and sculpture.
label: Label
content: In this image Jizo presides over the assembly of the Ten Kings of Hell. This panel of judges (a concept imported from China--thus the robes of Chinese jurisprudence) meted out penalties to those condemned to hell. Here the dominant figure of Jizo seems to remind the judges to temper their rulings with mercy and to always be aware of the Buddha's pervasive compassion.
label: Provenance
content: To 1903
label: Provenance
content: Yamanaka & Company, to 1903 [1]
label: Provenance
content: From 1903 to 1919
label: Provenance
content: Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1903 [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. 88, 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: Religious Art of Japan (December 18, 2002 to January 4, 2015)
label: Exhibition History
content: Japanese Art (May 9, 1993 to November 21, 1995)
label: Exhibition History
content: Japanese Art (July 1, 1974 to April 10, 1978)
label: Exhibition History
content: Japanese Art (January 1, 1963 to July 1, 1966)
label: Exhibition History
content: Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 1 and 2 (February 25, 1956 to January 1, 1963)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Hanging Scrolls, Ceramics, and Sculpture (October 2, 1947 to January 23, 1951)
label: Exhibition History
content: Untitled Exhibition, Japanese Ceramics and Painting (May 2, 1946 to October 2, 1947)
label: Exhibition History
content: Japanese Paintings Buddhist Etc. (January 5, 1928 to December 8, 1941)
label: Exhibition History
content: Japanese Paintings and Sculpture (May 2, 1923 to January 5, 1928)
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: Kamakura period (1185 - 1333)
label: Topic
content: hell
label: Topic
content: Japan
label: Topic
content: Jizo Bosatsu
label: Topic
content: mandara
label: Topic
content: king
label: Topic
content: cintamani
label: Topic
content: kakemono
label: Topic
content: Japanese Art
label: Topic
content: siddham script
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: F1903.271
objectType: label: Type
content: Painting
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: CC0
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: Color and gold on silk
label: Dimensions
content: H x W (image): 88 x 39.6 cm (34 5/8 x 15 9/16 in)