Title: Amida Sanzonbutsu (Welcoming Descent of the Amida Buddha Triad), Circa 1650-1750. A Vibrantly Painted Depiction of Amida Nyorai, Kannon and Seishi Bodhisattva
Condition: Very Good
An Early to Mid Edo Period, 17th to 18th century painting depicting the Welcoming Descent of the Amida Buddha Triad, featuring a central figure of the Amida Nyorai, flanked on either side by Kannon Bodhisattva on the left and Seishi Bodhisattva on the right.
The painting has been produced in vivid color, the Amida Nyorai painted in gold leaf, whilst his vestments and the attendants are painted with a variety of hues and details. Even the billowing clouds they stand atop show considerable skill and brushwork.
The Bodhisattvas serve as attendants at the forefront sweeping to earth on a bank of silvery clouds. They have arrived to "welcome" a dying devotee into the Pure Land (Western Paradise) over which Amida Buddha presides. It is based on the Sutra of Immeasurable Life and the Sutra of Contemplation of Immeasurable Life. Kannon Bodhisattva is the incarnation of Amida Nyorai's "compassion," while Seishi Bodhisattva is the incarnation of "wisdom." Kannon Bodhisattva, the attendant, represents Amida's kebutsu (a Buddha transformed into a Buddha) in front of the topknot on top of his head, and Seishi Bodhisattva represents a water jar in the same position, so the two attendants are relatively easy to distinguish from each other. Raigo or "welcoming descent" paintings of this kind became popular during the late Heian (eleventh through twelfth centuries) and Kamakura (1185-1333) periods, with numerous copies made through later periods.
The raigō theme, first originating in China, was introduced to Japan by the monk Ennin (794-864) in the ninth century and made popular with the teachings of the monk Genshin (942-1017) during the eleventh century.
The painting has been neatly mounted onto a brocade decorated kakejiku (hanging scroll), with jikusaki (knobs) made of lacquered wood.
One painting mounted on a kakejiku (hanging scroll), 145 x 51.5 cm full size, 68.5 x 36 cm main painting
This painting is in very good shape, with some creases to the painting. There is very little cracking to the paint, despite the creases.