Artwork preview

Descent and Return of Amida to Western Paradise with a Believer's Soul (Gōshō mandara)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The image depicts a painting of multiple scenes. The painting is rectangular, framed with a thin white line and a thicker brown border. The border has a tan background with a small diamond pattern. The painting shows a large group of people in various settings. In the top right corner, there is a group of people sitting on a cloud or platform. In the top left, there is a building with a blue and red roof. The bottom half of the painting shows many people in different scenes, some sitting, some standing, and some in water. The color palette includes shades of brown, blue, red, green, and white. The overall scene appears to be a Buddhist-themed artwork, possibly depicting the descent and return of Amida to Western Paradise with a believer's soul.

Artwork Details

Date
ca. 1300
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink and color on silk
Culture
Japan
Dimensions
375 × 625 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original
Palette

You May Also Like

Shaka (Shakyamuni), the Historical Buddha, with Two Attendant Bodhisattvas and Sixteen Arhats
The White Path Between Two Rivers
Akbar supervising the capture of wild elephants at Malwa in 1564, painting 90 from an Akbar-nama (Book of Akbar) of Abu’l Fazl (Indian 1551–1602)
Akbar supervising the capture of wild elephants at Malwa in 1564, painting 90 from an Akbar-nama (Book of Akbar) of Abu’l Fazl (Indian 1551–1602)
Descent of the Nine Luminaries and the Seven Stars at Kasuga
Mandala of the Bodhisattva Hannya (Prajnaparamita)
Tiered Court Scene
Battle between Manuchihr and Tur, from a Shah-nama (Book of Kings) of Firdausi (Persian, c. 934–1020)
Encampment in the Mountains
Mahasiddha Damarupa
Krishna Is Welcomed into Mathura: Page from a Dispersed Bhagavata Purana Manuscript
Ōtsu-e of Shōmen Kongōyasha (Vajrayaksha)
A prince visiting a holy man in a rocky landscape
Scene from the Life of the Buddha
Piece
Court Ladies in the Imperial Palace
“An Imperial Excursion” (Miyuki), “A Boat Cast Adrift” (Ukifune), and “The Barrier Gate” (Sekiya)
Krishna and the Gopis Gather for Rasamandala
Buddha Shakyamuni and Scenes of His Previous Lives (Jataka Tales)
Taima Mandala
Maharana Sangram Singh II of Mewar (r. 1710–34) and Stages a Boar Hunt with Tigers at Sadri
Temple Banner with Pilgrimage Sites and Scenes from the Svayambhu-purana (Ancient Text of the Primordial Buddha)
Lovers and beloveds: A composite of scenes from Persian, Urdu, and Sanskrit literature
Demons Fighting Over an Animal Limb