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Lot Essay
The current painting is painted with the Buddha Amitabha seated in the upper centre on a lotus throne, his hands folded in his lap in Dhyana mudra. He is flanked by two Arhats, one younger and the other older, possibly Ananda and Kasyapa. Below the Buddha is a tall octagonal seven-storied pagoda. It is flanked by the Four Guardian Kings: the Guardian of the East, Dhataratha, holding a lute, the Guardian of the North, Vaisravana, holding an umbrella and pagoda, the Guardian of the South, Virudhaka, holding a sword, and the Guardian of the West, Virupaksha, holding a jewel and a snake.
The current painting is most likely painted for a Water Land Ritual, and could be one of the three principal figures, the other two being Vairocana Buddha and Sakyamuni. The Water Land Ritual was first held by Emperor Wu of Southern Liang Dynasty to facilitate the deliverance of the deceased. It reached a zenith in the Ming Dynasty, where the scale of these rituals was unprecedentedly large, and the rituals were becoming more codified. The first ever Water Land Ritual was held in the Jinshan Temple of Zhenjiang, and subsequently, large scale rituals were held here in Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The pagoda painted here resembles closely the Cishou Pagoda of Jinshan temple, and could have been modelled on it. The Cishou Pagoda was built in the Song Dynasty, but became dilapidated by the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt under the auspices of Buddhist Master Mingliao in the third year of Longqing. It is possible that the current painting was painted soon after the pagoda was rebuilt, in the late Longqing or early Wanli period.
Compare an earlier set of Water Land Ritual paintings, bearing the date of 5th year of Jingtai (1454), now in the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art.
The current painting is most likely painted for a Water Land Ritual, and could be one of the three principal figures, the other two being Vairocana Buddha and Sakyamuni. The Water Land Ritual was first held by Emperor Wu of Southern Liang Dynasty to facilitate the deliverance of the deceased. It reached a zenith in the Ming Dynasty, where the scale of these rituals was unprecedentedly large, and the rituals were becoming more codified. The first ever Water Land Ritual was held in the Jinshan Temple of Zhenjiang, and subsequently, large scale rituals were held here in Song, Yuan and Ming Dynasties. The pagoda painted here resembles closely the Cishou Pagoda of Jinshan temple, and could have been modelled on it. The Cishou Pagoda was built in the Song Dynasty, but became dilapidated by the Ming Dynasty. It was rebuilt under the auspices of Buddhist Master Mingliao in the third year of Longqing. It is possible that the current painting was painted soon after the pagoda was rebuilt, in the late Longqing or early Wanli period.
Compare an earlier set of Water Land Ritual paintings, bearing the date of 5th year of Jingtai (1454), now in the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art.