Benten on a Rock by the Sea

A hanging scroll shows a seated female figure in flowing robes playing a biwa lute atop a craggy rock. A large pale moon glows behind her, and waves break in white foam at the base of the rock against a golden ground.

Artist

Unknown

Date

18th century?

Medium

Color and gold on silk panel

Source

Smithsonian (National Museum of Asian Art)

Size

1535 × 3999 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Asian Art