Praying person (scrolled) 62 x 46 cm Made by Mitsuyoshi Hatanaka

This beautiful painting depicts a woman praying on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. The woman is wearing a bright ethnic sari, kneeling in front of a red background. Her profile gives a sense of fragility and strength at the same time.

The Ganges River is sacred in Indian culture, and many people come here to pray. This woman also has deep faith and respect and prays toward the sacred river. Her large, plump hands seem to symbolize the depth and sincerity of her prayers. The red background symbolizes passion and faith, and the woman's national costume represents her culture and identity.

This painting suggests that religion and faith give hope and strength to people's hearts, and that sacred moments are expressed as beautiful art.

Mitsuyoshi Hatanaka has a deep knowledge of the transmission of Buddhist art from India to Japan, and many of his works have Buddhist themes such as Indian folklore and Buddhist legends. As both a religious figure and a painter, he believes in discovering themes through the study of historical works, mainly from India, and thinking about the essence of painting and how to live through painting production.

1947 : Born in Nara Prefecture / 1977 : 21st Shell Art Award / 1978 : 1st Tokyo Central Art Museum Japanese Painting Award / 1987 : 5th Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Newcomer Award / 2002 : Nikkei Japanese Painting Award / 2004 : 22nd Kyoto Prefecture Cultural Award, Distinguished Service Award / 2014 : Kyoto Art and Culture Award / 2015 : Kyoto City Cultural Distinguished Award, and many other awards .
●Former professor at Kyoto University of Art and Design