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Sakyamuni on an elephant

Asian Art Museum

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Object Details

Artist

Formerly attributed to Su Hanchen (active early to mid-12th century)

Description

Sakyamuni is seated on a white elephant with elaborate trappings. He is carrying a ruyi scepter and is accompanied by two attendants carrying scrolls. The figures are in a landscape with clouds and with a tree bearing red flowers. No seals, inscriptions or labels.

Provenance

To 1906
Yamanaka & Company, to 1906 [1]
From 1906 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Yamanaka & Company in 1906 [2]
From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]
Notes:
[1] Undated folder sheet note. Also see Original Kakemono and Makimono List, L. 538, 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.
[2] See note 1.
[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.

Collection

Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Previous custodian or owner

Yamanaka and Co. 山中商会 (1917-1965) (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

Credit Line

Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Date

16th-17th century

Period

Ming dynasty

Accession Number

F1906.270

Restrictions & Rights

CC0

Type

Painting

Medium

Ink and color on silk

Dimensions

H x W: 189.3 x 81.4 cm (74 1/2 x 32 1/16 in)

Origin

China

Related Online Resources

Google Arts & Culture

See more items in

National Museum of Asian Art

Data Source

National Museum of Asian Art

Topic

Buddhism
tree
Buddha
elephant
Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644)
China
scepter
Shakyamuni
Chinese Art
Charles Lang Freer collection

Metadata Usage

CC0

Link to Original Record

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ye383bf677b-0fcc-4a50-8f07-5a292f32b6a7

Record ID

fsg_F1906.270

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spouted elephant vessel

The Art and Science of Elephants

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