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Head and Torso of a Dancing Figure

A work made of earthenware.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of earthenware.

Date:

5th–7th century

Artist:

Japan

About this artwork

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

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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