About this objectBarlaam and Josaphat are Christian saints whose story is based on the life of the Buddha. The story tells how an Indian king persecuted the Christian Church in his realm. When astrologers predicted that his own son would some day become a Christian, the king forbad tPrince Josaphat from leaving the Palace. He escaped, met the hermit Saint Barlaam and converted to Christianity. The father accepted the Christian faith, handed his throne to Josaphat, and retired to the desert to become a hermit.
The Arabic text was translated into Latin and Greek and then into various European languages, such as the German version shown here.
Date Made1469
Place MadeGermany
Place NotesHagenau, Alsace, France (formerly Germany)
Subject and Association KeywordsHelgo
Subject and Association DescriptionLearn More: Ikegami 1992; Keene 2019;
Medium and MaterialsTempera colors, colored washes, and ink on parchment
