Daibenzaiten B

Daibenzaiten — the great Benzaiten — is the Buddhist-Shinto syncretic deity of water, music, eloquence, and wisdom, traditionally depicted as a female figure holding a biwa lute or, in esoteric forms, with multiple arms bearing weapons and ritual implements. The 'B' designation indicates this print belongs to a numbered series in which Sasajima developed the subject through related compositions. His rendering likely follows the iconographic conventions of the eight-armed esoteric form rather than the more familiar musician variant, treating the goddess with the same hieratic frontality he brought to Fudo Myoo. The mokuhanga technique probably emphasizes dense black [sumi](/glossary/sumi) areas with selective use of color to mark attributes such as the flame halo or jewel in the deity's hand. Benzaiten is widely venerated at temples and shrines across Japan, including Enoshima and Itsukushima, and her appearance in Sasajima's catalogue extends his documentation of Japanese Buddhist material culture beyond architectural subjects to the figural icons housed within.