The Iconography of the Deva Bishamonten

Bishamonten is a protective deity in Buddhism. This ink drawing of him is probably based on an image brought from mainland Asia.

This Buddhist painting depicts the guardian deity Bishamonten, one of the Four Heavenly Kings. However, this portrayal of him is totally devoid of color. Detailed ink-line drawings of Buddhist deities served as templates for paintings. They were also used for reference and research.

The paper of this drawing is brown because the oil, or some other substance coating it, has oxidized. Applying oil to Japanese paper made it translucent. This meant the paper could be used for copying, not unlike modern-day tracing paper.

A closer look at this drawing also reveals Chinese writing in different areas. These are instructions for how a painting of this deity should be colored and decorated with patterns.

This work is linked to Gensho, a Buddhist priest and renowned scholar of ink-line drawings. The back also features Chinese characters associated with Ennin, a priest of the Tendai school who brought a number of sacred texts and ink-line drawings from China. Bishamonten is depicted with several attendants, a portrayal also seen in the murals of Dunhuang, China, for example. This suggests the painting might be a copy of an image brought over from China. With its inflected lines and meticulous attention to detail, it is a highly-accomplished work.