Fugen

Object Details

• Artist

  Takuma Eiga 宅間栄賀 (fl. early 14th century)

• Label

  The Buddhist deity Fugen, a bodhisattva (enlightened being), is usually depicted riding an elephant. In this small ink painting, the animal lies on the ground in what is clearly an earthly setting, while the youthful Fugen reads from a sutra (sacred text).

  Zen Buddhism, which came to Japan from China, had a profound effect on Japanese spiritual and artistic life. Ink painting became established in Japan through the strong patronage of Zen monasteries, and its influence spread to artists of other sects.

  Takuma Eiga was trained in traditional Buddhist painting techniques that used colors and gold. Here, only ink and the slightest tint of pink on the figure and the elephant are used. In contrast to the resplendent clothing and jewelry seen in traditional Buddhist paintings and sculpture, Fugen wears the robes of a Buddhist monk.

• Provenance

  To 1904

  Bunkio Matsuki (1867-1940), Boston, to 1904 [1]

  From 1904 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Bunkio Matsuki in 1904 [2]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Undated folder sheet note. See Original Kakemono List, S.I. 42, pg. 134, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [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

• Exhibition History

  Mind Over Matter: Zen in Medieval Japan (March 5, 2022 - July 24, 2022)

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

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

  Japanese Art (May 9, 1993 to June 27, 1994)

  Japanese Art (November 7, 1986 to July 19, 1988)

  Luminous Shadows (April 1, 1982 to June 21, 1982)

  Japanese Art (July 1, 1974 to April 10, 1978)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Bunkio Matsuki 松木文恭 (1867-1940) (C.L. Freer source)

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Painting

• Restrictions and Rights

  CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1300s, 1570s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Matsuki, Bunkio

• Place

  Japan

• Topic

  Fugen, Charles Lang Freer collection, Reading, Art, Animals, Muromachi period (1333 - 1573), Japanese Art, Sutra, Elephants, Halo, Kakemono

• Culture

  Buddhists, Japanese

• Object Type

  Paintings