Shinto God, 12th-13th century
Unknown Japaneseexpand_more
Wood with colorexpand_more
Mary Griggs Burke Collection, Gift of the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundationexpand_more 2015.79.265.1a-c
On View in Gallery 220expand_more
Although Shinto deities often appear in the form of Japanese aristocrats, the appearance of this paired god and goddess reflects a unique blend of foreign and native dress that demonstrates the strong influence of Buddhism on Shinto imagery. The male deity with his meditative pose, urna (the dot on his forehead), elongated ears, and crown appears more like a bodhisattva, a type of Buddhist deity. The female deity wears a robe with pleated sleeves and frilled collar, which reflects Chinese dress of the Song dynasty (960–1279). Carved from single blocks of wood, with the artist’s chisel marks visible, the god and goddess sit before wooden plaques painted to suggest trifold screens decorated with pines, rolling hills, and birds.
Details
- Title
- Shinto God
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2015.79.265.1a-c
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Murase, Art through a Lifetime, no. 564a
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
Does something look wrong with this image? Let us know
Zoom in on the left to the detail you'd like to save. Click 'Save detail' and wait until the image updates. Right click the image to 'save image as' or copy link, or click the image to open in a new tab.