Shakyamuni Triad: Buddha Attended by Manjushri and Samantabhadralate 1300s · Study 2009.342

Context from the museum

This triptych is a rare example of Yuan Buddhist painting. It depicts the historic Buddha Shakyamuni flanked by two attending bodhisattvas, Manjushri (the bodhisattva of wisdom, riding a lion) and Samantabhadra (the bodhisattva of universal virtue, riding an elephant). Below them are others seeking enlightenment: two disciples of the Buddha (Ananada and Kasyapa), two non-Chinese people, a boy with topknots, and a female worshiper. The clouds above and around the divine beings form one scene that illustrates Shakyamuni’s sermon from the Lotus Sutra . This text became an important basis for Buddhist faith throughout East Asia and was central to the Mahayana school of Buddhism.

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

A detail to notice

This triptych is based on the Lotus Sutra , a Buddhist scripture that welcomes female worshippers.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for Shakyamuni Triad: Buddha Attended by Manjushri and Samantabhadra is 46.4 cm wide and 106.9 cm high, equivalent to approximately 18.3 × 42.1 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.43:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.50 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 15.5% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 126.8 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 Shakyamuni Triad: Buddha Attended by Manjushri and Samantabhadra in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Set of three hanging scrolls; ink and color on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 46.4 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?