Sutra cover with boys holding the stems of large flowers
Images of boys among floral scrolls, mainly lotuses, were imbued with meaning in the Buddhist tradition. Known as huasheng tongzi in Chinese or mahoraga in Sanskrit, this type of boy symbolizes rebirth from a sacred lotus growing in purified land. The decoration made this textile a fitting cover for a Buddhist sutra.
Artwork Details
- 明 織錦童子紋經面
- Title: Sutra cover with boys holding the stems of large flowers
- Period: Ming dynasty (1368–1644)
- Date: 16th century
- Culture: China
- Medium: Plain weave silk with supplementary silk weft patterning
- Dimensions: Overall: 13 3/8 x 4 13/16 x 1/4 in. (34 x 12.2 x 0.6 cm)
- Classification: Textiles-Woven
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, in honor of James C. Y. Watt, 2011
- Object Number: 2011.221.37
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
China
early 15th century
Unidentified artist
1565
Unidentified artist
16th century
Unidentified artist
ca. 1551
Japan
16th century
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.