Untitled

Myōchin Munesuke

1716 · Hammered iron with gold leaf on interior · Asian Art

The mendicant's bowl is one of eighteen possessions permitted to followers of the Buddha who seek detachment from worldly desires.One as finely crafted and decorated as this was probably used only for ritual offerings on an altar. Its thin, gracefully rounded shape and lively repoussé dragon with finely chased scales represent highly developed skills of metal hammering. The Myōchin line of metalworkers specialized in producing swords and elaborate sword fittings for twenty-two generations, from the thirteenth to the mid-eighteenth century.

Artist

Myōchin Munesuke

Date

1716

Medium

Hammered iron with gold leaf on interior

Culture

Japan

Department

Asian Art

Credit line

The Howard Mansfield Collection, Gift of Howard Mansfield, 1936