Sutra of seeing the bodhisattva Fugen (Kan Fugen bosatsu gyōbō kyō)

Object Details

• Provenance

  ?-?

  Reportedly in the collection of Tōshōdaiji Temple, Nara, Japan, method of acquisition unknown [1]

  ?-1967

  Sogoro Yabumoto, Amagasaki, Japan, method of acquisition unknown [2]

  At least 1967-1968

  Mayuyama & Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, purchased from Sogoro Yabumoto, Amagasaki, Japan [3]

  From 1968

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Mayuyama & Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan [4]

  Notes:

  [1] See object file for curator notes dating from 1981-2017, noting this handscroll was once part of a sutra set in the Tōshōdaiji, an important Buddhist temple in Nara, Japan.

  [2] See object file for copy of Mayuyama & Co., Ltd. packing list for this object, described as “No. 5 Buddhist sutra with Kan Fugen text,” and additional objects, which were shipped via airfreight to the Freer Gallery of Art on February 23, 1967. On the second page, “Additional Sheet,” Mayuyama notes that object No. 5 was purchased from Mr. Sogoro Yabumoto of Amagasaki, Japan. Sogoro Yabumoto was the younger brother of Soshiro Yabumoto, who had a gallery of Japanese art in Tokyo. Sogoro specialized in Japanese and Chinese paintings, which he sold primarily from his home in Amagasaki. After his death, Sogoro's son Kozo managed the business.

  [3] See object file for copy of Freer Gallery of Art vault record number V53.67, showing that the object, described as “Fujiwara painting, Buddhist sutra, Kan Fugen text”, was delivered to the Freer on March 10, 1967, via an airfreight shipment from Mayuyama & Co., Ltd., in Japan. Mayuyama & Co., Ltd. was founded by Matsutarō Mayuyama (1882-1935), with its first Tokyo location - named Ryūsendō - opening in 1916. After Matsutarō’s death, his eldest son Junkichi (1913-1999) led Mayuyama & Co.

  [4] See object file for copy of Mayuyama & Co., Ltd. invoice to the Freer Gallery of Art, dated May 13, 1968, and approved by the Secretary on May 31, 1968.

  Research updated August 10, 2023

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Words of Wisdom: Buddhist Calligraphy from Japan (April 1, 2023 to February 25, 2024)

  The Power of Words in an Age of Crisis (October 14, 2017 to May 6, 2018)

  Faith and Form: Selected Calligraphy and Painting from the Japanese Religious Traditions (March 20 to July 18, 2004)

  Religious Art of Japan (December 18, 2002 to January 4, 2015)

  Real and Imagined Places in Japanese Art (March 4 to October 21, 2001)

  Japanese Art (May 9, 1993 to November 21, 1995)

  From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy (July 28, 1986 to February 6, 1987)

  Japanese Calligraphy (December 21, 1984 to November 7, 1985)

  Japanese Art (July 14, 1980 to March 6, 1981)

  Japanese Calligraphy (April 18, 1977 to September 13, 1977)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Toshodaiji Temple

  Sogoro Yabumoto

  Mayuyama & Co., Ltd. (established 1916)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1100s, 1200s

• Name

  Yabumoto, Sogoro, Mayuyama & Co., Ltd., Toshodaiji Temple

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Heian period (794 - 1185), Fugen, Art, Animals, Mandorla, Cloud, Japanese Art, Lotus Sutra, Samantabhadra, Elephants, Halo

• Culture

  Buddhists, Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings