Portrait of a Pious Priest

Deity: Skanda
Painting Type: Scroll Painting
Dynasty: Yuan Dynasty
Date / Period: 14th century
Institution: Nara National Museum
Collection: Collection Database
Medium / Material: Hanging scroll; ink and colors on silk
Dimensions: H 87.3, W 40.6
Accession Number: 795-0
Source: ColBase: Integrated Collections Database of the National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan, Nara National Museum, 795-0.

Description

This painting shows a seated monk hands clasped in prayer before a sword-bearing divine commander who resembles Idaten (Skt. Skanda) and a demon-like winged creature with a beak. On the basis of the legend that this painting portrays the Tang-period Chinese monk Daoxuan (Jpn. Dōsen), who was known as Nanshan Dashi, the divine commander is thought to be Prince Naṭa, who awarded relics to Daoxuan.