Standing Ksitigarbha1300–1350 · Study 2025.141

Context from the museum

This fourteenth-century hanging scroll depicts Kṣitigarbha (지장보살), the Bodhisattva of Salvation in the guise of a youthful Buddhist monk. Clad in simple monastic robes, he holds a staff to announce his presence and a wish-fulfilling jewel symbolizing his vow to relieve suffering. Kṣitigarbha is believed to descend into the underworld to guide and liberate tormented souls trapped in purgatory. His compassionate mission made him a key figure in both East Asian visual and ritual tradition.

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

A detail to notice

Only 10 of the 14th-century paintings of Ksitigarbha are known to exist in the world today. This is one of these rare surviving masterpieces.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected painting measurement for Standing Ksitigarbha is 43.2 cm wide and 102.6 cm high, equivalent to approximately 17.0 × 40.4 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.42:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.44 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 14.4% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 128.4 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 Standing Ksitigarbha 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 gold on silk, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 43.2 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?