id: 98870 accession number: 1918.544 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1918.544 updated: 2022-01-13 10:00:42.638000 Heavenly King Virudhaka, 1368-1644. China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644). Hanging scroll, color on silk; painting only: 110 x 75.2 cm (43 5/16 x 29 5/8 in.); overall: 243 x 95 cm (95 11/16 x 37 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Worcester R. Warner Collection 1918.544 title: Heavenly King Virudhaka title in original language: 增長天王 series: series in original language: creation date: 1368-1644 creation date earliest: 1368 creation date latest: 1644 current location: creditline: Worcester R. Warner Collection copyright: --- culture: China, Ming dynasty (1368–1644) technique: hanging scroll, color on silk department: Chinese Art collection: ASIAN - Hanging scroll type: Painting find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Painting only: 110 x 75.2 cm (43 5/16 x 29 5/8 in.); Overall: 243 x 95 cm (95 11/16 x 37 3/8 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Taming Tigers and Releasing Dragons: Masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist Art – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c opening date: 2019-02-08T05:00:00 Taming Tigers and Releasing Dragons: Masterpieces of Chinese Buddhist Art – Chinese Gallery Rotation 240a, 241c. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 8-August 11, 2019). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE Langdon Warner [1888-1955], given to the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1918 date: ?-1918 footnotes: citations: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, 1918-present date: 1918- footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: Heavenly Kings are guardians who watch over the cardinal directions: north, south, west, and east. Sculptures or paintings of these guardian kings are often placed at the entrance or at the four corners of the altar or inner temple.

This king is the guardian of the south (Zengzhang tianwang, also called Virudhaka). His attribute is a sword carried in his right hand to protect the southern continent and the dharma, or Buddhist teaching. Associated with the color blue, his face is depicted in that color. His fearsome bulging eyes, the dark face, and his demonic attendants keep evil away.

This painting was recently restored by conservators of the museum’s Chinese painting conservation studio. They stabilized loose pigment and creases and replaced the silk mount. The Guardian’s legs are missing; the painting was cropped long before it entered the museum’s collection. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1918.544/1918.544_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1918.544/1918.544_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1918.544/1918.544_full.tif