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Ascetic Sakyamuni Emerging from the Mountains
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Ascetic Sakyamuni Emerging from the Mountains
CHINA; Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279); By Liang Kai; Ink and color on silk; 119 x 52 cm; Tokyo National Museum, Japan
This painting of Sakyamuni leaving behind ascetic life was listed as a National Treasure of Japan in 2007. It is signed by Liang Kai, a Southern Song dynasty artist who was known for painting with fine, cutting strokes. Sakyamuni walks alone in front of a distant mountain. He has an emaciated body, long eyebrows, and a full beard. The folds on his monastic robe are depicted with dense lines and dark shading. In the foreground, there are rocks and delicately painted dead trees. The bright figure of the Buddha within the dark, somber landscape suggests that enlightenment is not necessarily sought in deep mountains, but within one's mind. |
