Sennin
Unknown Artist
1870
Medium
Pottery, partly unglazed; the costume in reddish brown glaze (Takatori ware)
Dimensions
H. 13 1/4 in. (33.7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. V. Everit Macy, 1923
Accession Number
23.225.374
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold the enigmatic *Sennin*, a pottery figure from Japan's Meiji period (18681912), crafted around 1870 in Takatori ware. Standing at13¼ inches tall, this male immortal—known as a *sennin* in folklore—embodies the revered mountain ascetics who achieved transcendence spiritual discipline and harmony with nature. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum Art in 1923 by Mrs. V. Everit Macy, it resides in the Asian Department, showcasing the era's blend of tradition amid rapid modernization. Takatori ware, originating from Fukuoka Prefecture, is celebrated for its rustic vitality. Here, the potter mast...