Sacred Names of Shinto Deities and the "Oracles of the Three Shrines"
The term mingei, generally translated as “folk art,” is often applied to the works of Mokujiki Shōnin, an itinerant priest and amateur artist who sculpted rough-hewn Buddhist deities and gods of good fortune. However, he was also a calligrapher, and his brush writing exhibits the same energy and heartfelt piety that appear in his sculptural works. Here, he inscribed the names of Shinto kami regarded as local manifestations of Buddhas and bodhisattvas, followed by the “Oracles of the Three Shrines” (Sansha takusen). The scroll is an example of calligraphic works that became devotional objects for people unable to travel to the great Shinto shrines of Ise, in Mie Prefecture; Iwashimizu Hachimangū, in Kyoto; and Kasuga, in Nara.
Artwork Details
- 木喰上人賛 神号・三社託宣
- Title: Sacred Names of Shinto Deities and the "Oracles of the Three Shrines"
- Artist: Mokujiki Shōnin (Japanese, 1718–1810)
- Period: Edo period (1615–1868)
- Date: 1805
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 31 1/2 × 8 1/8 in. (80 × 20.7 cm)
Overall with mounting: 62 × 12 1/4 in. (157.5 × 31.1 cm)
Overall with knobs: 62 × 14 in. (157.5 × 35.6 cm) - Classification: Calligraphy
- Credit Line: Purchase, Ryo Toyonaga and Alvin E. Friedman-Kien Gift, 2016
- Object Number: 2016.364
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Mokujiki Shōnin
1805
Chōbunsai Eishi
early 19th century
Sakai Ōho
ca. 1839
Unidentified artist
early 19th century
Utagawa Hiroshige
1857
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.