CC0 · no rights reserved
Prince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi)
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Two-year old Prince Shōtoku (573?–622?) places his palms together in a gesture called gasshō . Shōtoku played a major role in the introduction of Buddhism to Japan, and devotees of the prince commissioned painted and sculpted images commemorating important moments of his life. At age two, the prince faced east and chanted the name of the Buddha without having been taught the practice. This sculpture captures the fantastic event foreshadowing his future acts.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit linePrince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi) (聖徳太子立像（二歳像）), early 1300s. Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333). Wood with lacquer, color, and rock-crystal inlaid eyes; height: 68.6 cm (27 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. James Campbell Weir in memory of Dr. and Mrs. William Hawksley Weir, 1989.76
