Album of Daoist and Buddhist Themes: Kings of Hells: Leaf 34

You see a man in red robes sitting on a throne, holding a scroll while demons torture a naked soul at his feet.

You see a man in red robes sitting on a throne, holding a scroll while demons torture a naked soul at his feet.

This painting is one of 50 leaves from an album used to train artists in 13th-century China. Each scene was a model for how to paint religious figures—here, one of the Ten Kings of Hell judging the dead. The bright colors and sharp lines were meant to be copied, not just admired.

To see more works like this, look up Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

This 13th-century Chinese album leaf is part of a collection of 50 paintings on religious themes, used to train artists in various subjects and techniques.