Head and Torso of a Dancing Figure

Arts of Asia

5th–7th century

Japan

Haniwa (literally “clay rings”) were made as funerary sculptures for Japanese nobility. Unlike Chinese tomb figures, which were buried with the deceased in underground chambers, haniwa were placed on the surface of earthen grave mounds. Rows of haniwa, partially submerged in the soil for stability, outlined the sacred contours of a burial site or were set up at its front. This head and torso of a male figure appears to be dancing, perhaps a common event at funeral ceremonies.

Status: Currently Off View
Department: Arts of Asia

Title: Head and Torso of a Dancing Figure
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.: 401 CE–700 CE
Medium: Earthenware
Dimensions: 48.3 × 35 × 15.8 cm (19 1/16 × 13 13/16 × 6 1/4 in.)
Credit Line: Gift of the Auxiliary Board of the Art Institute of Chicago
Reference Number: 1989.85
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. Learn more.: https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/73800/manifest.json

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Title

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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.

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Reference Number

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. Learn more.

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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.

Learn more.