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Illustrated manuscript of the Lotus Sutra (Miaofa lianhua jing), Volume 2

ca. 1340
Not on view
The practice of producing luxurious Buddhist sutras out of sumptuous materials extended beyond China to Korea and Japan. This example from Korea exploits the striking combination of gold and silver pigments with midnight blue indigo-dyed paper to imbue the sacred written word with a glowing luminosity.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 법화경변상도 고려
  • Title: Illustrated manuscript of the Lotus Sutra (Miaofa lianhua jing), Volume 2
  • Artist: Unidentified artist (mid-14th century)
  • Period: Goryeo dynasty (918–1392)
  • Date: ca. 1340
  • Culture: Korea
  • Medium: Accordion-fold book; gold and silver on indigo-dyed mulberry paper
  • Dimensions: Image: 9 x 4 1/2 in. (22.9 x 11.4 cm)
    Overall: 13 x 4 1/2 x 7/8 in. (33 x 11.4 x 2.2 cm)
  • Classification: Paintings
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 1994
  • Object Number: 1994.207
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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Unidentified artist - Illustrated manuscript of the Lotus Sutra (Miaofa lianhua jing), Volume 2 - Korea - Goryeo dynasty (918–1392) - The Metropolitan Museum of Art