God of Thunder (Raijin) — Tawaraya Sōtatsu (Japanese, c. 1570–c. 1640) — The Cleveland Museum of Art · Andrew R. and Martha Holden Jennings Fund · CC0. Museum object record ↗

Painting study · Ink painting

God of Thunder (Raijin)mid-1600s · Study 2004.86

Tawaraya Sōtatsu (Japanese, c. 1570–c. 1640)
mid-1600s

Recorded as six-panel folding screen; ink, color, and gold on paper, this horizontal work measures 343 × 150.4 cm using the museum’s image dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.

Explore its scale ↓Shop Lei-Kol paintings

Museum collection reference. This work is not offered for sale by Physical Art For Crypto. Museum attribution does not imply a partnership or endorsement.

Context from the museum

Such depictions of the God of Thunder originated in Buddhist art. Here, the image was painted on paper covered with gold dust, a technique often found in paintings by Tawaraya Sotatsu or of the Sotatsu school. This gold technique and the "Inen" seal here suggest that the anonymous painter of this screen was probably associated with the Sotatsu workshop. The artist used a prototype borrowed from earlier Japanese narrative painting—rather than mechanically reproducing Sotatsu’s image—and created a bold, innovative image that served the world of play and leisure in early Edo Japan. The theme of "God of Thunder" was often paired with "God of Wind" and has been frequently reinterpreted by generations of Rimpa artists. Unfortunately, the screen God of Wind which would have accompanied this God of Thunder cannot be located.

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

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for God of Thunder (Raijin) is 343 cm wide and 150.4 cm high, equivalent to approximately 135.0 × 59.2 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 2.28:1. The rectangular bounding area is 5.16 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 114.3% of the span before adding a frame. That exceeds the example wall width, so a smaller reference wall would not reproduce the recorded scale. 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 God of Thunder (Raijin) in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, six-panel folding screen; ink, color, and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

Which part of this horizontal composition catches your eye first?
Would a 343 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?

Explore physical scale

How large would this format feel on your wall?

Use this museum work’s recorded format as a reference. Adjust a blank wall and optional frame allowance to compare proportions. The museum painting is an educational reference and is not for sale here.

Units

Wall width (cm)

Wall height (cm)

Frame each side (cm)

114.3%of wall width, including allowance

343.0 × 150.4 cmmodeled outside dimensions

Exceeds the entered wall dimensionsThe painting extends beyond the pale wall rectangle.

Calculation: outside width = recorded width + twice your frame allowance. This is a proportion study, not an installation assessment. It excludes furniture, hardware, load capacity, depth and delivery clearance. The display image may include margins absent from the recorded measurement.

Compare formats with the studio collection

These Lei-Kol works have the closest width-to-height ratios in the current catalog. This is a geometry comparison, not a claim of artistic similarity, equivalent value, or association with the museum artist.