Regarding the Asuka period, the remains of paintings, not to mention Buddhist paintings, are scarce and therefore we can only imagine the paintings of those days from the paintings shown on the walls of Tamamushi-no-Zushi (the "Beetle Shrine") of Horyu-ji Temple and from the designs of such remaining artifacts as tenjukoku shucho (embroidery representing Tenjukoku paradise) at Chugu-ji Temple.
飛鳥時代については、仏教絵画に限らず、絵画の遺品そのものが僅少であり、法隆寺の玉虫厨子の壁面に表わされた絵画や、中宮寺の天寿国繍帳のような工芸遺品の意匠から当時の絵画をしのぶほかない。