Iconographic Drawing of the Bodhisattva Memyō (Ashvaghosha)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

A drawing on beige-colored paper depicts Memyō (Ashvaghosha) sitting cross-legged on a lotus flower on top of a white horse. The Bodhisattva sits within a circular halo outlined in black. The Bodhisattva's facial features include a thin mustache, thick eyebrows, and downcast eyes. He wears a crown. He holds a scroll in the right hand and makes a gesture with the left. The Bodhisattva wears a long-sleeved robe with a red sash around the waist; the robe features a pattern outlined in black. The horse has a saddle on its back; straps around the saddle and a red decorative cover on the horse's head. Four men surround the horse. The man to the left stands. The man on the right side also stands; both wear military-style uniforms with hats. The man closer to the horse on the right side crouches; he wears a black hat. The fourth man bends on one knee; he holds a staff. The background of the drawing contains wisps of smoke; characters are on the top right. The drawing sits on a brown surface and has a brown and gold border.