Cleveland Museum of Art

Thunder God (Raijin)

Date

1300s

Medium

wood with traces of gesso and red and black pigment

Culture

Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333)

Department

Japanese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Thunder (Raijin) and Wind (Fujin) gods first appeared in early Buddhist art in China and Japan and were based on the popular imagery in India that was derived from the life of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. They were shown among a group of demon-monsters flying through the sky above the meditating Shakyamuni in an attempt to frighten away his concentration. Raijin is surrounded by a ring of small drums struck by a stick held in his hand so that he is always accompanied by a thunderous noise. A metal clasp protruding from this sculptures' back indicates that a ring of drums was once attached to the Cleveland Raijin. The matching sculpture, Fujin, is in the Fukuoka Art Museum in Japan.

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