Artist: Liang Kai (3rd Quarter
of the 12th century)
Title: Sakyamuni Leaving His Mountain Retreat ["Coming down from
the Mountains"]
Material: ink and color on silk.
Site:
Current Location: Tokyo National Museum.
Period/Date: Southern Song dynasty (painting attributed to ca. 1200)
Iconography/Iconology: The image of Sakyamuni descending from the mountains
refers to a specific point in time when prince Siddharta decides to no longer
practice extreme austerities. Instead he decides to follow the "middle
path" between the two extremes -- decadence of princely life and harsh
privation of severe ascetism. Upon making this decision, the texts indicate
that he departed from the mountain retreat, came down the mountain to the
town of Uravela in northeastern India. There he accepted food from a young
woman named Sujata with which he restored his health. From there he went
to Bodhgaya and attained enlightenment. For reasons unclear, this subject
became very popular among the Chan (Zen) sects of Buddhism. This painting
is copied even today by Zen monks in Japan
Stylistic Comments: Little is known about the life of the artist,
Liang Kai, except that he was a painter in the Southern Song academy who
retired and became a Chan (Zen) monk. His painting changed accordingly and
he transformed from being a close follower of the Ma Xia school to being
one of the most innovative and dynamic artists of the Southern Song.
In this ipainting of Sakyamuni Liang Kai uses all of the techniques of the
Ma Xia school for rendering rocks and trees. However, there is a spatial
ambiguity between the two rock cliffs. To some observers, the cliff that
is decidedly behind Sakyamuni appears to move forward as it rises to the
top of the painting, while the rock at the left appears to receed into the
background. Others see the path that Sakyamuni walks on as unambiguously
passing between the two rocks.
The figure of Sakyamuni is painted in the relatively realsitic court portraiture
style of the Southern Song. However, because of the subject matter, he appeaars
in a mendicant's robes, bearded and with gnarled, bare feet.
