Vaisravana, Guardian King of the North

Original Language Title多聞天王鎏金銅像

CultureChinese

DateYuan dynasty (1279-1368) or early Ming dynasty (1368-1644)

MediumBronze; chased, engraved, and gilded

DimensionsOverall: 14 1/8 × 7 1/2 × 5 inches (35.88 × 19.05 × 12.7 cm)

Credit LinePurchase: the Asian Art Acquisition Fund in memory of Laurence Sickman

Object numberF95-4

On View

Not on view

Collections

East Asian Art

Terms

DescriptionThe weighty male warrior is composed of gilt bronze and stands on a metal rock shaped structure. His elaborate armor displays a pair of demon masks on the breastplate and a finely detailed lion mask appears at the waist, arms and head and descends to scrolled ends at his feet. The brocade cloth around his torso contains a cloud pattern and is tied with braided cord. This long earlobes display large beaded earrings while his harsh facial expression is characterized by heavy jowls and dramatically raised eyebrows. detailed with braided cords, the lion mask, and a trefoil design on the toes.Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Rising Dragon: Ancient Treasures from China, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 10/6/2007-2/10/2008

Reflections of the Buddha, Pulitzer Foundation, St. Louis, Missouri, 9/9/11-3/10/12

Emperors, Scholars and Temples: Tastemakers of China’s Ming and Qing Dynasties, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, August 12, 2016 – July 9, 2017.

Gallery Label

Conveying vast protective power is the chief goal of the maker of this work. He has adopted fearsome physical features that are traditional Chinese conventions for depicting divine guardian generals. Exaggerated scowl with bulging eyes cast from a massive head, thickset wrestler's physique and legs planted with feet splayed are among stereotypes that equate protection with military aspect. The exceptionally elaborate armor, cast so precisely, shows consummate skill. Note how his limbs and stomach are protected by menacing lion masks. Coarsely featured faces forming the breastplates derive from ancient Iranian protective symbols. Swirling ribbons and five-peaked crown indicate his celestial nature, while peacock feathers bordering his hip armor symbolize his alternate role as god of wealth. The base is original; the right hand held a tall trident now missing.

Provenance

J. J. Lally & Co. President;

Purchased from J. J. Lally & Co. President by The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 1995.

Published References

Marc Wilson, “Bronze Buddhist Sculpture Acquired” The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, October issue, cover, 1-2, figures. (repro.).

“Tradition and Innovation: Director Marc F. Wilson and Chinese Art at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art” Orientations, Special issue for the Chinese art collection in the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Vol. 39, no. 8 (November/December 2008), 55. (repro.).

Colin Mackenzie, with contributions by Ling-En Lu, Masterworks of Chinese art: the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art (Kansas City, Mo.: Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 2011), 86-87, no. 22. (repro.).

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