Paying homage to the twenty-eight Buddhas

Southeast Asian Collection

Accession Nr.: 2015.125.1
Type: painting; religious or cult object; hanging scroll
Date of production:
ca. 1850 − 1870
Place of production:
Materials/Techniques: tempera on fabric (cotton cloth) backing
Dimensions: height: 337.5
width: 94 cm
The upper three-quarter of the long and narrow scroll painting depicts twenty-eight teaching Buddhas arranged in eight rows. Shakyamuni Buddha is sitting on his high throne in the top row, flanked by two kneeling, adoring figures. The right and left corners are each occipied by a characteristic Thai stupa (chedi) with a tall flag on both sides. The scroll painting's stripes bearing Buddha's images are coloured by alternating black and red backgrounds. The nearly square-shaped bottom part of the scroll bears a narrative scene. The painting is framed by a narrow band of flowers and leaves.