Buddhist Water Sprinkler (Kundika)
Tang dynasty (618–907), 7th century
Medium
Slip-coated stoneware with creme glaze
Dimensions
29.3 × 13.6 cm (11 9/16 × 5 3/8 in.); Diam.: 13.6 cm (5 3/8 in.)
Classification
stoneware
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
73254
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This type of vase with pouring spout and tubelike mouth at the shoulder has served several roles in Buddhist ritual: to purify a sacred space, to invoke a deity, or to anoint a worshipper. Created in bronze as well as several types of stoneware, these vessels originated in India and spread throughout East and Southeast Asia. In Chinese Buddhist art, the kundika appears primarily as an attribute of the bodhisattva Guanyin (Sanskrit: Avalokitesvara). This ceramic example may have been made primari...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...