Artwork Page for Cinerary Urn with Amida's Pure Land

Details / Information for Cinerary Urn with Amida's Pure Land

Cinerary Urn with Amida's Pure Land

阿弥陀浄土図骨壺

800s-900s

Japan, Heian period

(794–1185)
View all records in artwork set
Medium
gilt bronze
Measurements
Diameter of mouth: 12.4 cm (4 7/8 in.); Overall: 26.1 cm (10 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1960.55
Public Domain
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.
Location
Not on view
Print

Description

This urn once held someone’s ashes. It is decorated with images of the Pure Land of Amida, the Buddha of Infinite Life and Light. Heian-period devotees of Amida believed that if they called upon his name with sincerity at the moment of death, they would be born into his Pure Land, also known as the Western Paradise, and thereby escape the pattern of reincarnation. As shown on the lid of the urn, in the Pure Land, musical instruments float about playing by themselves. Its palatial structures and magnificent lotus pond are described on the body of the urn.
A gilt bronze urn features a rounded body and tiered lid topped with a rounded knob. The upper half displays a lustrous gold surface with incised landscape scenes and a ring of petal-like shapes at the shoulder. A horizontal ridge separates the golden top from a dark, mottled lower half with brown and black patina. The aged exterior is highly worn, revealing the dark metal where the original gilding has worn away entirely.

Cinerary Urn with Amida's Pure Land

800s-900s

Japan, Heian period (794–1185)

See Also

Visually Similar by AI

    Contact Us

    The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please fill out the appropriate request form linked below:

    Update or Correct Artwork Information

    Imagery or Rights for Non-Open-Access Artworks

    Report a Website Issue

    Further Questions About This Artwork