Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来
Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来
Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来
Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来

Currently not on view

Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来,

13th century

Anonymous
Japanese
Kamakura period, 1185–1333
2017-122

Occupying the highest rank in the Japanese Buddhist pantheon, Dainichi Nyorai is the chief deity in Shingon Buddhism. Dainichi, meaning "great sun," embodies a life force that illuminates and pervades all things. He is portrayed as a bodhisattva–a Buddha-to-be–with clothing, jewelry, the wheel of the law under his chest, and long hair in the style of ancient Indian nobility. His hands form the chiken-in, or "wisdom fist" mudra: the fingers of the right hand, which embody the five elements of the material realm, embrace the left index finger, symbolizing the Buddhist essence of the spiritual realm. A double halo represents the light emitted by the Buddha. Used for prayer, this painting would have been displayed in a temple.

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More About This Object

Curator's Voice: Dainichi Nyorai

Information

Title
Dainichi Nyorai 大日如来
Dates

13th century

Maker
Anonymous
Medium
Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold on silk
Dimensions
Painting: 90.5 × 41.5 cm (35 5/8 × 16 5/16 in.) Overall: 171.0 × 56.3 cm (67 5/16 × 22 3/16 in.) Roller length: 61.3 cm (24 1/8 in.)
Credit Line
Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund
Object Number
2017-122
Place Made

Asia, Japan

Culture
Japanese
Period
Kamakura
Type
paintings, scroll paintings, hanging scrolls
Materials
silk (textile), gold, ink, pigment
Techniques
painting (image-making)
Subject
lotus, figures (representations), censers, pedestals, iconography, Buddhism, crowns (headdresses), suns

– Private Collection (Japan).
–2017 London Gallery (Tokyo, Japan), sold to the Princeton University Art Museum, 2017.

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The Museum regularly researches its objects and their collecting histories, updating its records to reflect new information. We also strive to catalogue works of art using language that is consistent with how people, subjects, artists, and cultures describe themselves. As this effort is ongoing, the Museum’s records may be incomplete or contain terms that are no longer acceptable. We welcome your feedback, questions, and additional information that you feel may be useful to us. Email us at collectionsinfo@princeton.edu.

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