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Inro Case Depicting the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

A work made of lacquer with inlay.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of lacquer with inlay.

Date:

18th century

Artist:

Chikanao
Japanese

About this artwork

The Seven Sages, a group of poets in war-torn third-century China who were celebrated for their refusal to be bound by the mores of society, were also renowned in Japan as exemplars of artistic idiosyncrasy. The sages abandoned politics and worldly pursuits, devoting themselves to wine, music and poetry. Here, they are shown wearing conventional Chinese robes and coiffures, with lush facial hair that renders them unmistakably foreign. They are grouped around a long scroll, perhaps recording the poems they have written during their latest gathering in the grove.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Arts of Asia

Title

Inro Case Depicting the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

Place

Japan (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1701–1800

Medium

Lacquer with inlay

Dimensions

9.5 × 4.5 cm (3 3/4 × 1 13/16 in.); Diam.: 4.5 cm (1 13/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Nickerson

Reference Number

1900.1170.3

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/57791/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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