Prince Shōtoku at Age Two (Shōtoku Taishi)

2025

Takashi Murakami

Culture

Medium

photopolymer resin, stainless steel frame, water-based urethane paint, polyester putty, epoxy adhesive, weathering pigment

Measurements

68.6 x 33.7 x 31.1 cm (27 x 13 1/4 x 12 1/4 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Takashi Murakami/Kaikai Kiki Co., Ltd. 2025.158

This artwork is known to be under copyright.

Location

Not on view

Description

At the Cleveland Museum of Art, the exhibition Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow (2025) began with the artist’s recreation of the Yumedono, or Dream Hall, from the Hōryūji Temple complex near Nara, Japan. The Yumedono is thought to reside in the location of the home of Prince Shōtoku Taishi (c. 573–622), who played a significant role in introducing Buddhism to Japan. When Murakami discovered a sculpture of Shōtoku at age two in the CMA’s Japanese collection, the artist decided to recreate it in the form of this homage work.