“Parable of the Medicinal Herbs” (Yakusōyu), Chapter 5 of the Lotus Sutra (Saddharma pundarika)
This sutra once formed part of a much larger set of handscrolls depicting all twenty-eight chapters of the Lotus Sutra, among the most popular Buddhist scriptures. Each scroll consists of a pictorial frontispiece (at far right) followed by a section of text, both brushed in gold paint on indigo-dyed paper. The handscroll on view contains a portion of the Lotus Sutra’s fifth chapter, “Parable of the Medicinal Herbs.”
Artwork Details
- 妙法蓮華経 「薬草喩品第五」 の内
- Title: “Parable of the Medicinal Herbs” (Yakusōyu), Chapter 5 of the Lotus Sutra (Saddharma pundarika)
- Artist: Unidentified artist
- Period: Heian period (794–1185)
- Date: 12th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Handscroll; gold and silver ink on indigo-dyed paper
- Dimensions: 10 1/16 in. x 34 ft. 8 3/4 in. (25.6 x 1058.6 cm)
- Classification: Paintings
- Credit Line: Seymour Fund, 1965
- Object Number: 65.216.2
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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