Artwork

Sudhana and a pair of antelopes, folio 37 (recto) from a Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array)

Sudhana and a pair of antelopes, folio 37 (recto) from a Gandavyuha-sutra (Scripture of the Supreme Array) is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1100 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work is a painted wooden strip, folio 37 (recto) from a manuscript of the Gandavyuha‑sutra, a Buddhist text.

About this work

Overview

The work is a painted wooden strip, folio 37 (recto) from a manuscript of the Gandavyuha‑sutra, a Buddhist text. The panel measures only a few centimeters across and bears a central miniature in muted red‑brown pigments, flanked by dense black script on both sides. The scene depicts a solitary figure accompanied by two antelopes beneath a tree, all rendered on an aged, weathered surface.

Subject & Meaning

The miniature illustrates an episode involving Sudhana, a youthful pilgrim in the Gandavyuha narrative, who encounters two antelopes. The figure’s halo‑like aura suggests a sacred or enlightened status, while the presence of the animals reflects themes of compassion and the harmony between humans and nature within the sutra’s teachings.

Technique & Style

Executed with mineral pigments applied to a prepared wooden board, the image employs a limited palette of red, brown, and black. The figures are outlined in fine black lines, and the halo is suggested by a subtle glow rather than a solid disc. The script surrounding the image is rendered in an early Indian black‑ink calligraphy, tightly packed along the margins.

History & Provenance

The folio originates from a larger Gandavyuha‑sutra manuscript, likely produced in the early medieval period in the Indian subcontinent. The wooden support and pigment composition indicate a regional workshop accustomed to portable devotional objects. The strip is now part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, acquired through a 20th‑century donation.

Context

The Gandavyuha‑sutra is a key Mahayana text recounting Sudhana’s quest for enlightenment through encounters with fifty spiritual teachers. Visual representations such as this served both as didactic aids and as objects of personal devotion, integrating narrative illustration with the accompanying script.