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Manjushri

c. 1500–1550

Medium: Hanging scroll, ink, color and gold on silk
Classification: Painting
Dimensions: Painting: 124.8 x 107.3 cm (49 1/8 x 42 1/4 in.); Overall: 314.2 x 111.2 cm (123 11/16 x 43 3/4 in.); Overall with knobs: 314.2 x 122.8 cm (123 11/16 x 48 3/8 in.)
Culture: China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
Museum: Cleveland Museum of Art, Chinese Art
Credit line: Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Rights: Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
Who can see it: Teens profiles and older: its museum says too little about what it shows to place it for younger viewers. How works are placed

About this work

A Chinese artist's interpretation of an Indo-Nepalese throne surrounds the white figure of Manjushri, the bodhisattva of wisdom. Chinese textiles and jewels drape fluidly over the body, the red lower garment offering a contrast to the abundance of malachite green that dominates the composition. Swirling clouds of variegated hues around the periphery add to the mystical, almost magical mood of this iconic figure. His hands are in the gesture of imparting the Buddhist teachings, while his posture and expression reveal that wisdom can be perceived through the practice of yogic meditation.