Pendant disks known as keman, thought to have originated as floral wreaths placed before Buddhist altars as votive offerings, are an integral part of the interior decor of the Buddhist temple. They are generally suspended from columns or from the outer edges of the canopy above the altar platform. This exceptionally well-crafted example features a pair of facing birds modeled in relief, their wings outstretched as if caught in midflight.
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Artwork Details
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華鬘
Title:Keman (Decorative Pendant Disk)
Period:Kamakura period (1185–1333)
Date:13th century
Culture:Japan
Medium:Gilt bronze and silver
Dimensions:H. 11 in. (27.9 cm); W. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm)
Classification:Metalwork
Credit Line:Gift of John M. Crawford Jr., 1968
Accession Number:68.76
John M. Crawford Jr. American, New York (until 1968; donated to MMA)
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Japan," 1995.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Seasonal Pleasures in Japanese Art, Part II," May 1–September 8, 1996.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Resonant Image: Tradition in Japanese Art (Part Two)," April 27–September 27, 1998.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Japan," 1998.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Graceful Gestures: A Decade of Collecting Japanese Art," September 29, 2001–March 10, 2002.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Written Image: Japanese Calligraphy and Paintings from the Sylvan Barnet and William Burto Collection," October 1, 2002–March 2, 2003.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Great Waves: Chinese Themes in the Arts of Korea and Japan II," March 22–September 21, 2003.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Birds, Flowers, and Buddhist Paradise Imagery in Japanese Art," February 14–June 13, 2004.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Tribute to a Dedicated Collector: Mary Griggs Burke," June 30–November 29, 2004.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Masterpieces from the Permanent Collection," July 2–November 29, 2005.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "No Ordinary Mortals: The Human Figure in Japanese Art," 2007–2008.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Ukiyo-e Artists' Responses to Romantic Legends of Two Brothers: Narihira and Yukihira," March 27–June 8, 2008.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Landscapes in Japanese Art," June 24–November 7, 2010.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Arts of Japan Galleries," February 2–July 28, 2013.
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