Niō Guardian
second half 19th century
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
H. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm)
Classification
Netsuke
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Russell Sage, 1910
Accession Number
10.211.539
Art Historical Context
Behold the fierce *Niō Guardian*, a masterful ivory netsuke carved by the Japanese artist Josō in the second half of the19th century during the Meiji period (1868–1912). Standing just 2 1/8 inches (5.4 cm) tall, this diminutive sculpture captures the muscular ferocity of a Niō—one of Buddhism's wrathful temple guardians, tasked with warding off evil spirits and protecting sacred spaces. With its dynamic pose and intense expression, it embodies the protective power revered in Japanese religious art. Netsuke like this one were essential accessories in Edo and Meiji Japan, serving as toggles to ...