black ink and red chop marks on white; bull seen from behind at bottom, in black outline with round white center and gray horns; three lines of vertical characters at top; one red chop mark ULC, two red chop marks below line of characters at left; blue-green silk mount; black scroll bar

White Ox in the Open Air, 19th-20th century

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Ink on paperexpand_more

The Louis W. Hill, Jr. Fundexpand_more  2003.58.2

On View in Gallery 221expand_more

Takeda Mokurai was the 369th abbot of the Ken’nin-ji temple in Kyoto. This scroll features the simple figure of a bull: a circle for its body and dabs of ink for ears, horns, and tail. In Zen Buddhist thought, the white ox symbolizes purity and transcendence. It appears in the Buddhist parable of the burning house, in which it represents the Buddha’s One Vehicle that leads all sentient beings to enlightenment.

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Details
Title
White Ox in the Open Air
Artist Life
1854 - 1930
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2003.58.2
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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black ink and red chop marks on white; bull seen from behind at bottom, in black outline with round white center and gray horns; three lines of vertical characters at top; one red chop mark ULC, two red chop marks below line of characters at left; blue-green silk mount; black scroll bar