Mandala of the Four Deities of Mt. Kōya1500s · Study 1999.262

Context from the museum

The two kami, or deities, at the top of this painting are Kariba Myōjin and Niu Myōjin. They inhabit Mount Kōya and are described as son and mother. They are shown here as courtiers, with Kariba in Japanese-style court robes and Niu in robes modeled after court garments of the Tang dynasty. The two kami seated beneath are Kehi Myōjin, portrayed as a lady holding a whisk, and the youthful Miyajima Myōjin, with his hair drawn up in loops, playing a lute ( biwa ). Hōjō Masako (1157–1225), the wife of the first Kamakura shogun (leader) Minamoto Yoritomo (1147–1199), invited them to Mount Kōya.

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 Mandala of the Four Deities of Mt. Kōya is 39.3 cm wide and 97.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 15.5 × 38.4 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.40:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.38 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 13.1% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 130.3 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 Mandala of the Four Deities of Mt. Kōya 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, color and cut gold foil on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 39.3 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?