Plate 12 Scroll of the
Lotus Sutra, twelfth-century
Japan. Sutra copying
became an art form and
an act of piety in China and
Japan. This hand scroll was
dyed indigo and inscribed
in gold and silver ink. It is
unrolled and read from right
to left, with a frontispiece at
the beginning. This is from
the Devadatta chapter of the
Lotus Sutra, in which the
dragon girl gives a jewel to
the Buddha and instantly
achieves Buddhahood.
(She is at center with rays
exuding from her.)
(See pp. 314–318.)Plate 13 Genji Viewing
Snow from a Balcony,- A woodblock print
on paper by Toyohara
Kunichika. The tenth-
century novel of life in the
Heian court, The Tale of
Genji by Murasaki Shikibu
was a popular source of
themes for Japanese artists
working in many styles
(see pp. 320–325).
Color Insert.indd 10 4/23/2018 11:06:21 AM