Kings Paying Respect to the Buddha

CHINA; Northern Song dynasty

This painting was originally kept in the Imperial Palace in China before it was brought to the USA. In the bottom left corner, there is the signature of Zhao Guangfu, a Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) painter who lived in Huayuan (present day Xiaxi, Yaoxian). During the rule of Emperor Taizu (reigned 960–976) of the Song dynasty, Zhao was a student at the Imperial Painting Academy. He specialized in painting Buddhas, human figures, and horses.
The painting depicts the chiefs and kings of the minority tribes within China paying respect to the Buddha. The Buddha has a beard, wears a red robe, and sits in full lotus position upon a lotus throne. Two disciples with nimbuses stand beside the throne, and two attendants accompany the disciples. Billowing clouds are painted behind these figures. To the right, an elder wearing a crown decorated with tall feathers holds out an object and bows, making an offering to the Buddha. The other kings, each dressed in a distinctive costume, stand in a group. This carefully painted, imaginative work is an outstanding piece of the Song artistic style.