Artwork Page for Spirit House

Details / Information for Spirit House

Spirit House

감실 [龕室]

late 1800s

Korea, Joseon dynasty

(1392–1910)
View all records in artwork set
Medium
iron inlaid with silver and copper decoration
Credit Line
Gift of The Honorable Joseph P. Carroll and Roberta Carroll, M.D. in memory of Robert P. Bergman 1999.120
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
?

Did You Know?

The belief in two types of souls, the spiritual and the corporeal, embodied the core concept of ancestor worship in traditional China and Korea. While the corporeal soul is believed to reside in the tomb, the spiritual soul, in the spirit house like this example, guards his or her decedents.

Description

This table, chair, and spirit house form a partial recreation of a memorial altar from the Joseon period. The spirit house and chair both include a number of auspicious symbols, including lotuses, conch shells, and chakra wheels. The spirit house would have been placed on the altar chair, and offerings would have been set out on the table for the memorial service. In ancestor veneration rituals, deceased parents or ancestors are sanctified as spirits who are believed to oversee their descendents. Three times a year, once at the lunar new year, once at the person’s death date, and once at the time of the mid-autumn festival, food would be placed on the table for the ancestors, including fruits, rice, meat, and rice wine. During these ceremonies the worshippers’ attitude was as reverential toward the objects meant to embody the ancestors’ spirits as that toward a living parent.
An iron and silver metalwork sculpture features a miniature shrine elevated on a tall stand. The stand's thin legs are braced by horizontal bars beneath a scalloped apron. Above, the structure contains doors with diamond-shaped metalwork. From its roof, stylized bird finials and a fan-like crest extend upwards. Worn, dark surfaces are accented by delicate metallic inlays, highlighting an aged patina across the complex structural joints and decorative plates.

Spirit House

late 1800s

Korea, Joseon dynasty (1392–1910)

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