Fūten, One of the Twelve Devas, Heian period, 9th century (National Treasure, Lent by Saidaiji Temple, Nara)
Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 2
February 26, 2020 (Wed) - March 8, 2020 (Sun)
The Twelve Devas are guardian deities of the twelve directions in Esoteric Buddhism, including the four quarters and four semi-quarters, up and down, and the sun and moon.
This painting shows Fūten, the guardian of the northeastern direction, seated on a roe deer accompanied by small attendants on both sides.It is part of the oldest extant set of paintings of the Twelve Devas, which all show the devas seated on animals.
The liberal use of bright colors, such as vermilion and green, is also a common feature across the set.
Designation | Name | Creation/ Excavation/ Provenance |
Period | Acquisition/ Ownership/ Accession Number |
CMT | ||
Highlight | National Treasure | Fūten, One of the Twelve Devas | Heian period, 9th century | Lent by Saidaiji Temple, Nara |