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The Fourth King of Hell
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Originally part of a set of ten, this hanging scroll depicts the Fourth King of Hell. Accompanied by his secretary, the king with bulging eyes is seated at the center, overseeing how well his verdict is being conducted. On the bottom, sinners are suffering in a giant cauldron filled with boiling water, constantly pierced by a guard’s burning spears. Ready-made Buddhist paintings from China, created in professional workshops in the port city of Ningbo, are believed to one of the important inspirations for this hell scene.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineThe Fourth King of Hell, late 1300s. Korea, Goryeo dynasty (918–1392). Hanging scroll; ink, color, and gold ink on silk; image: 63 x 45.3 cm (24 13/16 x 17 13/16 in.); overall: 136.2 x 58.9 cm (53 5/8 x 23 3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund and museum purchase from various donors by exchange and Partial Gift of The Honorable Joseph P. Carroll and Roberta Carroll, M.D., 2019.224
