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Shōtoku Taishi at the Age of Two Years

Culture Japanese
Title Shōtoku Taishi at the Age of Two Years
Date 13th century
Medium Wood with lacquer and pigments
Dimensions Object: 26 5/8 × 12 × 13 in. (67.6 × 30.5 × 33 cm)
Overall: 26 5/8 × 12 × 13 in. (67.6 × 30.5 × 33 cm)
Credit Line William Lowe Bryan Memorial, Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University
Accession Number 59.26

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About this Work

Shōtoku Taishi (574–622) was prince regent during the years when a nation-state was being forged from Japan’s semi-autonomous regions and Buddhism was adopted as a state religion. According to legend, at the age of two, Shōtoku turned to the east and began to chant the Buddhist prayer Namu Butsu, or “take refuge in the Buddha.”


Provenance research is ongoing for this and many other items in the Eskenazi Museum of Art permanent collection. For more information about the provenance of this artwork, please contact the department curator with specific questions.

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"Shōtoku Taishi at the Age of Two Years | Collections Online." Collections Online. Sidney and Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, Indiana University, 2025. https://artmuseum.indiana.edu/collections-online/browse/object.php?number=59.26