“Krishna’s Victory Over Aghasura” (early 1700s), Mewar, Rajasthan, India, watercolor and gold on paper (the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art)
Stories have long been crucial threads linking individuals to their cultures and identities through narratives around religion, history and morals. When interpreted visually through art, they solidify and become powerful representations carried through generations. “Sages and Heroes: Storytelling in Asian Art” at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art features works from the 13th through the 19th century spanning the continent, including Japanese, Chinese, Burmese, Indian, Persian and Armenian works. Because of the vastness of the subject matter, the exhibition was cocurated by the museum’s experts in art throughout Asia: Ling-en Lu, curator of Chinese Art; Yayoi Shinoda, associate curator of Japanese Art; and Kimberly Masteller, curator of South and Southeast Asian Art.
An overarching theme throughout “Sages and Heroes” is religion. From India, “Krishna’s Victory Over Aghasura” is featured as the cover image for the exhibition. The vivid painting depicts the demon Aghasura as a giant snake against a cosmic backdrop of yellow and white stars. In this story, the demon hid, mouth agape like a cave, waiting for unsuspecting herdsmen and cattle to enter for shelter. Krishna follows to save them, ripping Aghasura open from the inside. “It shows devotees the power of the god and how much he loves his friends and followers that he’ll rush into this demon’s mouth to save them,” explains cocurator Masteller. “The god loves you too. That’s part of this devotional relationship that is at the core of the Krishna stories.”
Scenes from literature are also common in “Sages and Heroes,” as seen in the Japanese “Three Chapters from the Tale of Ise.” In “Token of Remembrance,” a woman gazes longingly at her absent lover’s robe. The piece takes on new meaning when paired with historical context. In the late 10th century, women were visited by their lovers or husbands and would not know when they would return again. Shinoda explains that this robe is, “the representation of him to her. We humans can relate to holding onto the memory of someone.” Additionally, the aristocracy of this time would have perfumed their garments with their favorite incense, so not only would the woman have this visual reminder of her lover but also his lingering scent. For Shinoda, this painting has become multisensory. As she explains, “There are so many things that the images can tell in addition to what you see. That’s a power of narrative art.”
Blending both literature and religion, the story of the Monkey King from the 16th-century Chinese novel “Journey to the West” has been repeated throughout Asia in various forms. The beloved tale follows Sun Wukong, the Monkey King, through trickery and trials to his ultimate aid in transporting Buddhist scriptures from India to China. “Sages and Heroes” features a newly acquired album on display for the first time at the museum. The album itself was commissioned by a British missionary in Shanghai and even includes his English typescript under the illustrations. Cocurator Lu adds, “This story is so appealing that even a European who has come to China is drawn to it.”
The mediums of scrolls, prints, panels, sculptures and murals point to the versatility of these stories. Some were for personal devotion, while others were meant to entertain or inspire the masses. Regardless, there is much to uncover in these narratives and their centuries-long appeal. “Artists reinterpret stories through art. Some pictorial stories may not have a written script, but the artist reinterprets the characters and sometimes even creates a new version of the story,” explains Lu. “They keep the stories alive over the centuries.”
“Sages and Heroes: Storytelling in Asian Art” continues in Room 222 at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, 4525 Oak St., through January 2026. Admission is free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Saturday and Sunday and 10 a.m to 9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. For more information 816.751.1278 or www.nelson-atkins.org.
