Exchange: Medieval works from Japan

Medieval works from Japan

A male figure is sitting sideways, his face looking toward the front right. He wears a long black cap, a red under-kimono, a grayish-color jacket with geometric patterns, and right gray color pantaloons. He holds a fan, which is peeking from the right sleeve. The painting is accompanied by calligraphy on the right side of the figure. The painting is mounted on gold brocade with strips of purple and gold brocade on top and bottom of the painting.

Madenokôji Fujifusa
Thirty-six Immortal Poets: Taira no Kanemori
Handscroll section mounted as a hanging scroll: ink and color on paper
11 3/16 in x 14 1/2 in (28.42 cm x 36.83 cm);11 3/16 in x 14 1/2 in (28.42 cm x 36.83 cm);41 5/16 in x 18 5/16 in (104.93 cm x 46.51 cm);x 20 5/16 in x 51.59 cm;4 1/8 in x 24 3/16 in x 4 5/16 in (10.48 cm x 61.44 cm x 10.95 cm)
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

View Object Record

Circular tsuba, made of iron. It has two holes in the middle. There are two openwork motifs of mushrooms on the lower left. Rusts on some parts of the piece.

Japanese
Tsuba (sword guard) with mushroom design
iron
3 1/8 in. x 3 1/8 in. x 1/16 in. ( 8 cm x 8 cm x 0.2 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

View Object Record

Japanese
Standing Priest
wood with trace of polychrome decoration
9 5/8 in. x 3 1/2 in. x 2 7/16 in. ( 24.4 cm x 8.9 cm x 6.2 cm )
Museum purchase for the James Marshall Plumer Memorial Collection

View Object Record

Japanese
Head of a Buddha, probably a 'kebutsu' (Buddha in a transformation body) from the crown of an Eleven-headed Avalokitesvara
gilt wood
3 1/16 in. x 1 3/4 in. x 1 13/16 in. ( 7.8 cm x 4.4 cm x 4.6 cm )
Gift of Mrs. Caroline I. Plumer for the James Marshall Plumer Collection

View Object Record

The sword is long and slightly curved; the metal smith's name is engraved on the metal handle.

Kagemitsu
Sword (13th century) and scabbard (18th century) with design of samurai writing a poem under cherry tree
forged steel blade with wooden handle and scabbard
38 9/16 in. x 1 11/16 in. x 1 3/8 in. ( 98 cm x 4.3 cm x 3.5 cm )
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frederic R. Smith

View Object Record

This 6-fold screen is a depiction of the Battle of Genji and Heike. In samurai armor, the Heike forces approach by ship from the left, while Genji forces rush to the shore on horseback and on foot—drawing the viewer’s attention to the center of the screens, where their confrontation will finally take place. The Heike forces can be identified by the red banners on their ships, while the Genji clan carries white banners.

Japanese
Battle of the Genji and Heike Forces
6-fold screen, ink and color on paper
30 in. x 162 in. ( 76.2 cm x 411.5 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

View Object Record

Japanese
Dragon head (finial for a staff or a piece of ceremonial furniture)
polychrome on wood
10 7/8 in. x 11 15/16 in. x 3 3/4 in. ( 27.6 cm x 30.4 cm x 9.6 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

View Object Record

An excerpt from the Lotus Sutra (Japanese: Myōhō Renge Kyō), this sutra uses gold pigment on indigo dyed paper.

Japanese
Sutra Fragment, Calligraphy in Block Script
gold and silver ink on indigo-dyed paper
12 5/16 in. x 6 1/8 in. ( 31.2 cm x 15.5 cm )
Gift of Ellen and Richard Laing

View Object Record

A sutra fragment with calligraphy in block script.

Japanese
Sutra Fragment, Calligraphy in Block Script
ink on paper
12 5/16 in. x 6 in. ( 31.2 cm x 15.2 cm )
Gift of Ellen and Richard Laing

View Object Record

Japanese
Tsuba (Sword guard)
iron
( )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

View Object Record

Japanese
Tsuba (Sword guard)
iron
3/16 in. x 3 3/8 in. x 3 3/8 in. ( 0.4 cm x 8.6 cm x 8.6 cm )
Museum purchase made possible by the Margaret Watson Parker Art Collection Fund

View Object Record

This icon painting depicts the bodhisattva Monju seated cross-legged on lotus on top of a lion. The figure holds a vajra sword, and is dressed in flowing robes with golden jewelry. Two circular mandorlas surround the figure.

Japanese
Bodhisattva Mañjusri (J. Monju Bosatsu), seated on a lion
hanging scroll, ink, color and gold on silk
19 3/4 in x 14 in (50.2 cm x 35.6 cm)
Bequest of Margaret Watson Parker

View Object Record

Next 12