The Deity of Kasuga Wakamiya Shrine
Terms of Use
Usage Conditions ApplyAt A Glance
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Period
14th century -
Geography
Japan -
Material
Ink, color, and gold on silk -
Dimension
H x W (image): 85.7 × 40 cm (33 3/4 × 15 3/4 in) -
Accession Number
F1964.13 -
EDAN ID
edanmdm:fsg_F1964.13
Object Details
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Label
The Shinto god of the Wakamiya shrine, located south of the main buildings of the Kasuga grand complex in Nara, is portrayed here as a young nobleman dressed in a green robe embellished with delicate gold patterns. He stands on a rocky plateau, which suggests the earthly site where his spirit resides. The gods (kami) of Shinto, Japan's native religion, are often worshiped as unseen spirits who reside in specific places. Beginning in the thirteenth century, however, there was an increase in production of paintings of Shinto deities due to the promotion of ideas linking specific kami with Buddhist deities, which had a long tradition of pictorial or sculptural representation. Shinto gods were closely bound to human life and in some cases were actually the deified spirits of deceased individuals. Artistic representations, although imagined, usually portrayed Shinto deities with human features and minimal visual references to their supernatural identities. -
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection -
Exhibition History
The Way of the Kami (May 11 to November 3, 2019)The Historical Buddha and Friends (November 3, 2018 to May 5, 2019)Real and Imagined Places in Japanese Art (March 4 to October 21, 2001)Japanese Art (May 9, 1993 to November 21, 1995)Japanese Art (November 7, 1986 to July 19, 1988)Japanese Art (March 12, 1982 to November 3, 1986)Japanese Art (July 14, 1980 to March 6, 1981)Japanese Art (April 11, 1978 to March 6, 1981)Japanese Art--Shinto (October 12, 1976 to December 10, 1976)Japanese Art (October 2, 1975 to October 8, 1976)Japanese Art—Paintings (September 16, 1970 to May 2, 1973)Japanese Art, Galleries 3, 4, and 5 (January 1, 1963 to September 16, 1970) -
Origin
Japan -
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment -
Type
Painting -
Restrictions and Rights
Usage Conditions Apply
There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.
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