Demon Intoning the Name of the Buddhalate 1800s–early 1900s · Study 1991.77

Context from the museum

Among the subjects of souvenir paintings made since the 1600s in Ōtsu, a travel hub near Kyoto in western Japan, was a demon in monk’s robes reciting the name of the Buddha Amida to the rhythm of his gong. Ōtsu paintings largely disappeared with the advent of rail travel in the late 1800s, as people no longer stopped in the area. In this work, Kyoto-based artist Suzuki Shōnen reimagined the demon for the modern era—the simple figure from the Ōtsu painting is transformed into a realistic one accompanied by a calligraphic meditation on its nature.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting only measurement for Demon Intoning the Name of the Buddha is 42 cm wide and 106 cm high, equivalent to approximately 16.5 × 41.7 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.40:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.45 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 14.0% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 129.0 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Demon Intoning the Name of the Buddha in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, hanging scroll; ink and color on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 42 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?