Cleveland Museum of Art

Ewer (Fusatsugata Suibyō)

Date

1200s

Medium

bronze

Culture

Japan, Kamakura period (1185–1333)

Department

Japanese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

Ewers of this particular shape developed in Japan for use in Esoteric Buddhist communities, and are called fusatsu-shaped water pitchers. Unlike the ewers commonly used in rituals celebrated before the Buddha, this type is used for the purifying of monks’ hands with water at the start of a Dharma assembly focused on the recitation of the monastic code of conduct, and repentance for transgressions.

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