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OBJECT GUIDEReligion and Ritual

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Version 2.1.2018

Questions? Contact us at acklandlearn@email.unc.edu

ACKLAND ART MUSEUM

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This Object Guide is made possible by the generous support of the Carolina Asia Center and the Title VI grant from the United States Department of Education.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Japanese, Muromachi period (1338 – 1573) or Edo period (1600 – 1868) Pair of Benevolent Kings (Nio) Temple Figures, 1467-1652 wood Lent by Heather James Fine Art, L2017.16.1 and .2

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• These figures are constructed out of several pieces of wood. One of the joins is barely visible above the right-hand figure’s bracelet.

• Every part of them is intended to convey strength and intensity – their dynamic poses, fierce expressions, swirling drapery, and the bulging veins and muscles in their bodies.

• In their original setting, the Benevolent Kings protected the entrance to a Japanese Buddhist temple.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Japanese Floor Vase with Shinto God Procession, c. 1890 high-fired Satsuma porcelain with molded, enameled, and gilded decoration Lent by The Brodey Family, L2017.25

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• This scene shows a procession of attendants carrying gifts from the Dragon King including dishes of food and the large bell. It is likely that the male figure, dressed in samurai uniform, with arrows on his back, represents the hero Hidesato, from a Japanese folk tale.

• In the story, the Dragon King of the Sea asks the legendary warrior Fujiwara no Hidesato to kill a giant centipede with a bow and arrow. For completing the task, the Dragon King presented him with gifts including unending bolts of silk, a bag of rice that never emptied, and a large bell.

• The sea creatures on the heads of the figures, such as fish, squid, and shells, represent the sea creatures specific to Japan.

• Translated, the inscription on the bell reads “Eizan of Kiyomizu in Kyoto,

Japan”, which indicates that the vase was created by the Eizan kiln, an important producer of ceramics in Kyoto.

• This vase shows off the industry of Satsuma pottery (the name for a specific type

of pottery that originated in Satsuma) with its scale, all over applied molded designs, and detailed painting.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Chinese, Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE) Guard Tower, 206 BCE-220 CE green-glazed earthenware Lent by William Torres, MD, L2017.24

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• This model of a guard tower, made to furnish an ancient Chinese tomb, is large enough that it was designed in four separate pieces.

• In earlier periods, these objects were made of expensive materials such as bronze, but during the Han dynasty, people increasingly substituted ceramic models for ones made in metal.

• The objects buried in Chinese tombs were meant to supply the deceased with the

things they would need in the afterlife. Tombs often included models of animals, entertainers, and vessels for wine and food to make the afterlife more hospitable.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Tibetan Ritual Dagger (Phurba), probably 19th century, possibly 18th century metal Lent by Harriet Herring, L2017.30

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• Located on the handle of this three-sided dagger are three expressive faces of the deity Vajrakilaya wearing a crown of skulls. The blade emanates from the mouth of a mythical sea creature and has intertwined snakes down the sides.

• In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, a phurba is used in tantric ceremonial rituals for the symbolic dispelling of evil spirits.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Tibetan or Nepalese Necromancer’s Bone Apron, probably early 19th century bone Lent by The Rubin-Ladd Foundation, L2017.26

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• This bone apron is composed of bone in three principal types of pieces: the vertically-oriented pieces, the smaller oval pieces between them, and small, rounded beads that link all the components together. The curved surface of the vertical pieces suggests the shape of the bones from which they were carved.

• What is on view here is the belt portion of an apron. In its original form, it probably included additional carved pieces of bone, suspended from the belt with more strands of beads. In that form, it would have been worn by a practitioner of tantric Buddhism during ceremonial rituals.

• It was typical for aprons like this one to be made of human bone retrieved after

cremation. For Buddhists from this tradition, this symbolized the importance in Buddhist teachings of being detached from one’s physical body.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Tibetan Dhamarupa, c. 15th century bronze Gift of Ruth and Sherman Lee, 2004.1.1

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• An inscription in Tibetan under the figure’s left leg confirms that he is Dhamarupa, but he is also readily identifiable based on his body type, pose, and attributes. He originally held a skull cup in his right hand and a drum in his left. His exposed torso is a common feature of Indian ascetics in Tibetan art.

• The great adepts in Tibetan Buddhism are individuals who have reached the highest degree of enlightenment. Dhamarupa, who lived in India during the ninth and tenth centuries, was one of the great adepts.

• A sculpture like this would have been made for meditation in a Buddhist temple.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Miyabe Atsuyoshi Japanese, 1870-1911 Incense Burner (Koro), 1890 bronze with gold and silver inlays; shibuichi and shakudo patinated metals Pending purchase from Orientations Gallery, TC 427ab

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• On the body of this incense burner, herons fly among aquatic plants with

monkeys swinging from wisteria vines. Connecting these designs are silver medallions of the Imperial phoenix. The figure supporting the vessel with his upraised hands is Fujin, the Shinto God of Wind. On the cover of the incense burner, twelve swallows circle above wisteria vines.

• This elaborate incense burner is an example of Meiji period mixed metalwork. The designs are made from a combination of gold and silver inlays with a copper-gold alloy with purplish-black surface and a copper-silver alloy with a greyish-brown surface.

• Miyabe Atsuyoshi’s work was featured in international exhibitions during the

nineteenth century, most notably at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The artist signed this work in two places: on the figure of Fujin and on the base between a swallow’s tail.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Possibly Burmese, Myanmar Buddha Calling the Earth to Witness, c. 13th century yellow pyrophyllite Ackland Fund, 97.14.1

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• The central scene on this small sculpture depicts the moment of Buddha’s enlightenment; his right hand is in the gesture known as Calling the Earth to Witness. The surrounding scenes from his life suggest locations that became important Buddhist pilgrimage sites in northern India.

• This sculpture was used as a devotional object. It reinforced Buddhist

teachings and history through the specific stories selected. • Many objects like this have been found in Burma, but they may have been

made in India. Since they are small and portable, pilgrims, merchants or other travelers could transport them easily from one place to another.

• A cavity at its base contains small scrolls. They are presumably Buddhist

texts, but the Ackland has not yet attempted to remove and examine them.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Thai, Ayudhya Period (1351 – 1767) Head of Buddha, 15th or 16th century gilt bronze Ackland Fund, 91.2

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• This head is most likely from a very large seated image. It was fastened to the body with pins through holes visible at the base of the figure’s neck.

• The protuberance on his head, called an ushnisha, symbolizes the Buddha’s added knowledge following his enlightenment. Here, it is topped by a flame finial.

• Seated Buddhas constituted a major aspect of Thai artistic production from the fourteenth to sixteenth centuries. Also important were ceramics, textiles, and metalwork, which were produced for domestic use and trade across Southeast Asia.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Chinese (Sino-Tibetan), Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644) White Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi, 15th century gilt bronze The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 2004.9

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• When the Ackland acquired this sculpture, the identity of the two figures was not specified. The combination of their distinctive pose and the objects they hold identifies this as an image of the White Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi.

• For practitioners of this form of Buddhism, the figures’ physical embrace

symbolizes the bliss that accompanies the complete union of wisdom and compassion.

• Chinese Buddhist art made during the early fifteenth century often shows the

influence of Tibetan art.

• In Tibetan Buddhism, sculptures and paintings guide practitioners in their meditation, helping them to more fully visualize each aspect of the deity.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Japanese, Late Heian period (898 – 1185) Standing Buddha, c. 12th century wood Gift of Ruth and Sherman Lee, 2003.35.4

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• Originally, this standing Buddha was attached to a wooden panel, which may have been a large round or oval mandorla.

• The artist uses the drapery’s curving, nearly parallel lines to define the figure’s torso and each limb, so that the clothing seems to cling to his body.

• Judging by the placement of the figure’s left arm, his original left hand was in the boon-granting gesture (or mudra) and the missing right hand in the “fear not” mudra.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Indian, probably Karnataka region, Halebid, Hoysala dynasty (1022 – 1346 CE) Vishnu, 12th to 13th century chloritic schist Gift of Harry Lenart, 71.22.1

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• Standing frontally on his lotus pedestal, the Hindu god Vishnu is surrounded by his ten incarnations, which are carved in the sculpture’s ornate border. The symmetry of the sculpture is enhanced by the presence of two female attendants at Vishnu's feet and two crocodile-like creatures at his shoulders.

• This ornately carved representation displays the rich ornamentation typically associated with the Hoysala period in southwestern India. A sculpture like this would have probably adorned a niche in a temple.

• Such intricate decoration was made possible by the use of a soft and malleable stone that allowed the sculptor to attain a high level of detail.

• The appearance of the figure’s face doesn’t quite match the carving of the rest of

the sculpture – the head has been recut.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Nepalese, Malla dynasty (10th – 18th century) Bhrikuti, the Female Companion of the White Avalokiteshvara, Lord of Compassion, 14th century wood with polychrome Gift of the Tyche Foundation, 2010.9

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• The figure of Bhrikuti would have had a fourth arm; two of her missing hands would have held a coral tree and a rosary, while the others formed gestures, including the gesture of reassurance.

• This sculpture would have originally formed part of a group in a Buddhist temple, standing to the left of the bodhisattva of compassion, the White Avalokiteshvara, with another female companion, Tara, standing to his right.

• The White Avalokiteshvara (literally, The Lord Who Looks Down from On High) was considered one of the guardian deities of the Kathmandu Valley of the Himalayan kingdom of Nepal.

• The sculpture was originally covered with gesso and painted. It now has only traces of paint, which may suggest that it and the other sculptures in the group were ritually bathed once a year. At other times, it would likely have been covered with ornate textiles and other ornaments.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Japanese, Kamakura period (1185 – 1333 CE) Pagoda-handled Bell, 1185-1333 CE gilt bronze The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 2014.17

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• The pagoda shape of the upper handle alludes to the architectural form of the stupa, a structure for preserving relics of the Buddha. Appropriately, this part can be removed, revealing a space for relics. The form of the bell also incorporates designs representing bound lotus leaves.

• This bell would have played a role in ceremonies of Esoteric Buddhism in Japan. Although it does still have its clapper, it would not actually have been sounded. Rather, it would have been placed at the center of the ritual altar (symbolizing Buddha Dainichi, the most important deity of the Esoteric Buddhist pantheon), as part of a symbolic set of five bells.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Tibetan Ritual Bell (Ghanta), 15th century? bronze, silver, gold, copper, and other metals Gift of Barry M. Popkin, 2014.32.1

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• On the handle of this bell is a crowned head of the Buddha (visible on two sides). Just below the handle, on the curving upper portion of the bell itself, lotus petals appear.

• The worn surface of the faces on the bell’s handle are reminders that this bell is a ritual object, used in Buddhist religious practice.

• A note written by a previous owner of this bell indicates that it was made in

Tibet in the sixteenth century.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Indian A Four-armed Seated Ganesha, 14th century copper with gold flecks Gift of Barry M. Popkin, 2014.38

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• The Hindu god Ganesha is readily identifiable by his elephant head, as well as by many other attributes. Two of the ones that appear here are the snake tied around him as a belt and, beneath his left knee, the tiny mouse who is his mount.

• Since this figure of Ganesha is so small it may come from a domestic setting

rather than a temple.

• Ganesha is called the Lord of Auspicious Beginnings. He is often invoked when initiating a new undertaking to remove any obstacles that might hinder ones success.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Syrian, Mamluk period (1250 – 1517 CE), Akkoyunlu dynasty (1378 – 1508 CE) Mosque Lamp, 15th century glass, polychrome enamel, and gold The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 97.13

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• The tall and elongated inscriptions on the neck and body, written in thuluth script, feature only one word: al-‘alim (the wise), which represents God’s omniscience, total comprehension, and complete intuition.

• In a mosque interior, a lamp like this one could be suspended from the ceiling

with chains that attached to the small handles visible on the exterior of the lamp. It would have been filled with oil and fitted with a floating wick. The shining light would have created the appearance of divine illumination.

• Judging by its size, quality, and inscriptions, this lamp was likely produced for

the commercial rather than courtly market. The blazons on the neck and the lower portion of the body, for example, appear hastily executed. They contain a horizontal bar of fake text and a flourish-like symbol, elements that were likely meant to imitate the appearance of lamps made for courtly patrons.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Unidentified artist Chinese, Ming dynasty (1368 – 1644) Sutra Covers, c. 1410 gilt-engraved (qiangjin) lacquer The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 2005.17ab

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• The wooden covers are overlaid with red cinnabar lacquer and finished with qiangjin engraving, a term that refers to the process of incising and gilding. The qiangjin method was commonly used for imperial commissions during the early Ming period.

• The sutra covers feature several Buddhist ornamental motifs, among them what is known as the Three Precious Jewels: the Buddha, his teachings and the Buddhist community.

• These sutra covers would have originally held a large copy of a Buddhist text,

which would have been placed in between the lacquered boards.

• In the fifteenth century, when the Yongle Emperor commissioned deluxe sutra covers and copies of Buddhist texts as diplomatic gifts for Tibetan leaders, Chinese interest in Tibetan Buddhism was particularly strong. The inscription on the inside of the covers is written in both Chinese and Tibetan.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Doi Goga Japanese, 1817 – 1880 Skeleton Family hanging scroll: ink on paper Anonymous Loan, L2007.34.14

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• Using only a single color of ink and a few strokes of his brush, the artist conveys

quite a bit of anatomical detail as well as nimble, dancing movements. For example, a single, broad brushstroke in the larger skeleton’s torso describes the curve of several individual ribs.

• Goga was both an artist and a Confucian scholar. Confucianism originated in China, and is based on the thinking of the Chinese philosopher Confucius (551 – 479 BCE).

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Jesse Kalisher American, 1962 – 2017 For Sale, Banglamphu District, Bangkok, Thailand, 2004, printed 2007 chromogenic print Gift of Helen and Jesse Kalisher in memory of Ilse Kalisher, 2007.9

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• The numerous figures in this photograph of a Bangkok market point to the

prevalence of Buddha’s image not only in temples but also in domestic and commercial settings (price tags are visible on several of the figures).

• Kalisher accentuates the effect of repeated images in the way he frames the

photograph, allowing us to imagine that the display extends far beyond what we can see in the composition.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Utagawa Kunisada Japanese, 1786 – 1865 Night Snow at Mimeguri, c. 1825 triptych of polychrome woodblock prints The William A. Whitaker Foundation Art Fund, 2017.11.1

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• This print depicts several famous kabuki actors as they board ferries from the Mimeguri Jinja shrine, which was on the way to the Yoshiwara, Edo’s famed pleasure district. This shrine was a favorite of the patrons of the Yoshiwara as it is dedicated to the gods Ebisu (god of fishermen, commerce, and good fortune) and Daikoku (god of wealth and farmers).

• The top of the shrine’s stone gate is visible in the distance of the snow-covered landscape.

• The muted tone of the colors in this print indicate that this print was created with natural dyes, which are highly susceptible to fading when exposed to light. Synthetic pigments, first imported to Japan from Europe in 1829, are more durable than plant-based dyes and tend to remain bright over time.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Ahmed, Turkish, active 1707, calligrapher Abdullah ibn Mostafa, Turkish, active 1707, illuminator Illuminated Qur’an, 1707 ink, gold, and opaque watercolor on paper, with leather binding Gift of Dorothy and S. K. Heninger, Jr., 96.12

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• This copy of the Qur’an is written in naskh script, which uses smaller and more rounded characters than other types of Arabic scripts and plays on diagonal thrusts.

• By tradition, the first two pages of the text are always decorated. In this manuscript, other pages are also decorated, but the first two are the most ornate.

• The illuminator signed his name and the year 1119, which is 1707 in the Gregorian calendar.

Ackland Art Museum Religion and Ritual

Hajji Mir Muhammad Ibrahim bin al-Hasani al-‘Ari Persian, active 1828 Illuminated Qur’an , 1828 ink, gold, and opaque watercolor on paper, with lacquer binding Ackland Fund, selected by the Ackland Associates, 96.4.1

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• To honor the text of the Qur’an, the manuscript is adorned with calligraphy (in a script called naskh), a profusion of floral ornaments, and burnished gold leaf.

• Hajji Mir Muhammad Ibrahim ibn al-Hasani al-‘Arizi was the calligrapher who made this copy of the Qur’an; he signed and dated it, noting in the inscription: “And this Qur’an is the 63rd that I have copied with my ephemeral hand.”

• The opening and concluding parts of this manuscript include invocations – some in Arabic and some in Persian – that link it with Shiite traditions, suggesting that its patron, Muhammad Ja’far ibn Muhammad Ibrahim was Shia.