Painting study · Ink painting
Iconographical Sketch (Zuzō) for the "Benevolent Kings Sutra Mandala"1100s · Study 1987.39
Artist not recorded
1100s
Recorded as Hanging scroll; ink on paper, this vertical work measures 112.2 × 122.2 cm using the museum’s image dimensions. Explore the museum’s context and compare the format with a wall of your choice.
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
The Benevolent Kings Sutra has been a highly valued Buddhist scripture in Japan since the Nara period (710–794), when it started to be recited in a ceremony to pray for the peace and protection of the country. In the 800s, the monk Kūkai brought back from China a new translation of the text as well as Buddhist iconographic sketches to perform the rituals based on the sutra. Five scroll sets of copies of the original sketches brought by Kūkai are preserved in Daigoji and Tōji temples in Kyoto. This sketch, which has figural depictions of deities on the front and deities symbolized by objects on the back, differs in some ways from each of those sets, and represents an alternate approach to creating a mandala based on the Benevolent Kings Sutra .
Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.
A detail to notice
The deity at the center is Fudō Myōō, the Immovable One.
Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Read the dimensions before the image
The selected image measurement for Iconographical Sketch (Zuzō) for the "Benevolent Kings Sutra Mandala" is 112.2 cm wide and 122.2 cm high, equivalent to approximately 44.2 × 48.1 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.92:1. The rectangular bounding area is 1.37 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 37.4% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 93.9 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 Iconographical Sketch (Zuzō) for the "Benevolent Kings Sutra Mandala" 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 on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.
- Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
- Would a 112.2 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.
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.
| Painting | Width × height | Format ratio | USD catalog price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Denim | 48 × 48 in | 1.00:1 | $1,699 |
| Mushrooms | 48 × 48 in | 1.00:1 | $2,399 |
| Stardust | 48 × 48 in | 1.00:1 | $2,199 |
Availability and delivery costs must be confirmed for the individual order.
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