Kaguhana head from a Dandatō staff, early 14th century
Wood, lacquer, rock crystalexpand_more
The John R. Van Derlip Fund; purchase from the collection of Elizabeth and Willard Clarkexpand_more 2013.31.39
Not on Viewexpand_more
The fierce head shown here likely would have been part of a pair, male and female, mounted on a staff held by one of the 10 kings of hell. The 10 kings judged deceased souls, deciding which realm of rebirth they should be born into. A contemporaneous wood sculpture from the collection of the Tōdaiji Temple in Nara shows Taizan Fukun, one of the kings of hell, holding a similar double-headed staff, indicating the popularity of this convention during the Kamakura period.
Details
- Title
- Kaguhana head from a Dandatō staff
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 2013.31.39
- 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.
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.