Amida Buddha Passed Down by the Kanō Family

This piece could possibly be the work of renowned Kanō family member KANŌ Tan’yū. Amida Buddha is depicted here descending to welcome the spirit of a dying devotee into the Pure Land. This motif, known as Amida raigō, made its way to Japan from China during the Song Dynasty. From the middle of Japan’s Heian period (794-1185), its presence in Japanese art flourished alongside the teachings of Pure Land Buddhism. It is a motif that the Kanō family is known to have adopted in their artwork. Although it cannot be definitively concluded that Tan’yū is in fact the artist, it can be said with some certainty, as the title suggests, that this painting has been passed down by the Kanō family.