a: round iron vessel with semi-circular handles hanging on each side; bird in open circle below one handle and standing creature with shovel (?) in open circle below other handle; openings cut out in organic shaped designs on body; L-shaped hooks attached to each side to hold open doors; wing-shaped doors below that lift upwards, attached with two hinges; incised decoration on each door; solid bottom inside that is raised from very bottom with openwork around base in oval forms with points at top of each; b: brass insert with wing-shaped opening on each side; c, d: open brass handles

Hanging lantern, 8th century

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Iron, brassexpand_more

Gift of Elizabeth and Willard Clarkexpand_more  2013.30.35a-d

Not on Viewexpand_more

This bucket-like container for a torch was formerly owned by the prestigious Hōryūji Temple in Nara, which was Japan’s first World Heritage Site and features the world’s oldest wooden building. Comparisons with an identical vessel (considered an Important Cultural Property) in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, reveals that this example is missing the inner hardware for holding the torch.

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Details
Title
Hanging lantern
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2013.30.35a-d
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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a: round iron vessel with semi-circular handles hanging on each side; bird in open circle below one handle and standing creature with shovel (?) in open circle below other handle; openings cut out in organic shaped designs on body; L-shaped hooks attached to each side to hold open doors; wing-shaped doors below that lift upwards, attached with two hinges; incised decoration on each door; solid bottom inside that is raised from very bottom with openwork around base in oval forms with points at top of each; b: brass insert with wing-shaped opening on each side; c, d: open brass handles