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Apsara

1357
Not on view
Returned to lender
This work of art was on loan to the museum and has since been returned to its lender.
Sculptures of Amida and his retinue include images of flying protective beings called apsara in Sanskrit or hiten in Japanese. Cast in one piece, this apsara has holes in three locations suggesting that it was suspended in its original setting. An inscription on the torso of the figure describes the donor as “the Governor of Kawachi,” referring to a province near modern-day Osaka, and dates the piece to the seventh month of 1357

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • 飛天像
  • Title: Apsara
  • Period: Nanbokuchō period (1336–92)
  • Date: 1357
  • Culture: Japan
  • Medium: Bronze
  • Dimensions: H. 5 5/16 × W. 14 × D. 3 7/8 in. (13.5 × 35.5 × 9.9 cm)
  • Classification: Metalwork
  • Credit Line: Lent by John C. Weber Collection
  • Curatorial Department: Asian Art