A Heavenly General (One of the Junishinshō)
Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333) · 1200s · Cleveland Museum of Art
What did you think?
Guide
Adjust the guideNew to it · Medium
Nobody has listened to this guide yet. Making it takes about twenty seconds, and after that anyone can hear it straight away.
From the museum
This figure is one of 12 generals made to protect a statue of the Medicine Buddha, an important healing figure in Buddhism. He wears Chinese armor. This shows that Japanese artists often drew from Chinese art for their designs. They believed that using these existing models gave the statue powerful spiritual properties. Japanese sculptors linked each general to a Chinese zodiac animal. The horse on this general’s head corresponds to the Year of the Horse and a time of day associated with the horse. How is this general similar or different from other protectors or guardians you might know? A fierce facial expression warns us not to cross this protective deity.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC0
Ask about this work
Ask in your own words. The answer comes from what the museum has written about the work, and says so when that does not hold it.
Details
- Maker
- Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333)
- Date
- 1200s
- Medium
- Wood with lacquer, color, gold, and crystal eyes
- Dimensions
- 117.2 cm (46 1/8 in.)
- Place of origin
- Japan
- Held by
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland · On view · 001A ArtLens Exhibition
- Credit line
- John L. Severance Fund
Image: Cleveland Museum of Art, CC0