Public domain
Staff and Fly-Whisk
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Important priests are normally depicted in full regalia, but this is different in Zen paintings. There, a portrait of a priest is often reduced to his attributes: a staff and a fly swatter as symbols of authority. The fly swatter also stands for ‘sweeping away’ evil influences, obstacles and ignorance.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineStaf en vliegenkwast. 1716 - 1789. Suiō Genro. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
