Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Attendants

KOREA; Joseon dynasty

An ink inscription in the lower section of the painting gives the names of local nobles who were patrons of the artist. It can be inferred from the positions and titles mentioned in the inscription, and from the painting style, that this artwork was created in the middle of the 15th century. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is shown in the center of the picture sitting on a square platform with his right leg bent and his left foot placed upon a lotus pedestal. A jewel is held in the right hand and the left hand a monk’s staff. The figure closest to the bottom on the right is monk Daoming, who has his palms joined, while on the left is Poisonless Ghost King, who wears a headdress and holds an imperial court baton. Behind these figures, there are the Six Bodhisattvas beside Ksitigarbha, symbolizing the six realms of existence.