vmfaeducation

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Farewell from the Interns

Hello! For the past 8 weeks we have been the faces behind all of the social media for the VMFA and sadly yesterday was our last day. We appreciate all of your support on our journey and will greatly miss this chapter of our lives. We are thankful for the experience that we gained and hope that someday we will have the opportunity to do this again.

Farewell,

The Interns 

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: South Asian Art #5

The Image of Sri Nathji Enshrined at Nathadwara  | Unknown  | South Asian | opaque watercolor, gold, and silver on paper |  ca. 1830-1840 | Image: 9 11/16 × 6 1/2 in. (24.61 × 16.51 cm)

Sri Nathji is a form of the Hindu god Krishna, manifested as a young boy. Shrinathji’s idol was brought to Rajasthan from Govardhana near Vrindavan to protect it from the hands of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb who in 1665 was bent upon vandalizing the area of Vrindavan by widespread destruction of Hindu temples. When the Mughal army came to Govardhana, the devotees of the Lord showed them the titles and gifts given to the temple by the previous Mughal

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: South Asian Art #4

Circular Salver with Floral Scroll Pattern | Unknown | South Asian | silver | ca. 1900 | Overall: - 1/2 × 9 1/8 × 9 1/8 in. (1.27 × 23.18 × 23.18 cm)

This dish was created completely by using  silver, with the addition of small details throughout. The seen embossed patterns showcase the Indian culture in which the object was created in.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: South Asian Art #3

Dharmadhatu Vagishvara Mandala | Unknown | South Asian | opaque watercolor on cloth | 16th century | Overall - 33 1/2 × 25 3/4 in. (85.09 × 65.41 cm)

This cosmic diagram in the form of a celestial palace populated by Manjushri’s retinue was one of a series of mandalas based upon the Vajravali—an important Buddhist textual tradition. Sakyapa teachers and disciples appear around the mandala, which is painted in the intricate Nepalese-inspired style favored at the Sakyapa monasteries of central and south-central Tibet.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: South Asian Art #2

Figure of a Donor | Unknown | South Asian | white marble | 12th-13th century | Overall - 47 3/4 × 19 × 10 1/2 in. (121.29 × 48.26 × 26.67 cm)

The bearded donor holds an elaborate garland in his hands, probably meant as an offering to the temple's main image. Standing in an exaggerated triple-flexion pose, he wears a short skirt, necklaces, armlets, and a distinctive chain-like cord. The scarf draped around his arms falls in whimsical corkscrew patterns at his sides. Attendants stand in attitudes of respect near his feet.

[vmfaeducation]

Not on View: South Asian Art

Court (Sherwani) | Unknown | South Asian Art | dyed and undyed wool, silk fabric with cotton filling and backing | second half of 19th century | Overall - 44 × 33 in. (111.76 × 83.82 cm)

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: South Asian Art #1

Ritual Crown with Five Cosmic Buddhas | Unknown | South Asian | silk embroidery with gold thread on cotton over cardboard | 15th century | Overall - 7 × 19 1/4 in. (17.78 × 48.9 cm)

This crown was made during the Ming/Qing Dynasty, showcasing Buddha on each of the peaks of the crown. These additions and other small, intricate details showcase the colors and patterns commonly found throughout China during the 15th century.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: East Asian Art #5

Incense Box (Kogo) with Pine, Bamboo and Plum Blossoms | Eiraku Hozen | East Asian | eiraku ware; stoneware with three-color glaze | c. 1830 | Overall - 4 1/4 × 3 3/8 in. (10.8 × 8.57 cm)

This small box was used for keeping incense balls, which at tea ceremonies were sprinkled onto a brazier of hot charcoals. The design of pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms was executed with clay in raised lines, a technique known as kochi.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: East Asian Art #4

Scene from the Tale of Genji: the Shell of Locust (Ch. 3) | Unknown | East Asian | album leaf; ink, color, and gold on paper | 18th-19th century | Sheet - 13 1/4 × 10 in. (33.66 × 25.4 cm)

Created during the Edo period (1615-1868), this painting mimics a tale, the Shell of Locust, heard from various old Japanese stories. Through the painting - shown in action - the audience is left in awe, wondering how the tale will end.

[vmfaeducation]

Staff Spotlight Week 4: Alex Parrish

Ever wonder what the VMFA staff are really like? In this video we interview Alex Parrish, who is a part of the Youth Studio and Education Department at the VMFA.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: East Asian Art #3

Noh Mask: Chujo | Deme Mitsuyasu | East Asian | cypress with pigment on gesso | 17th Century | Overall - 7 7/8 × 5 5/16 × 2 5/8 in. (20 × 13.49 × 6.67 cm)

Made in Japan during the 17th century, this mask features a Japanese man’s face showing extreme fear and pain in its expression.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: East Asian Art #2

Fugen (Bodhisattva Samantabhadra) on Elephant | Unknown | East Asian | wood with polychrome, lacquer, copper, crystal, glass | 14th century | Overall - 98 7/8 × 35 13/16 × 56 11/16 in. (251.14 × 90.96 × 143.99 cm)

This work features a sculpture of Fugen riding an elephant, both decorated in exquisite gems and copper. The sculpture was made in the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japan.

[vmfaeducation]

Not on View: East Asian Art

Cricket Cage (Winter Cage) | Unknown | East Asian Art | gourd, enamel | 19th century | 4 1/2" H" H x 2 1/2" dia. (11.43 cm. H" H x 6.35 cm. dia.)

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Week of Art: East Asian Art #1

Suspension Vase | Unknown | East Asian | jadeite | 18th-19th century | Overall - 4 3/4 in. (12.07 cm)

This container was created during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Made in China, the vase is made from jadeite, a one-of-a-kind mineral in China.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: African Art #5

Harp | Unknown | African Art | wood, reptile skin, glass beads, string | 19th-20th century | Overall: 18 × 15 × 4 3/4 in. (45.72 × 38.1 × 12.07 cm)

This elegant instrument was used by Mangbetu bards to accompany songs and recitation of epic poetry at the royal court. The woman’s elongated head reflects the Mangbetu practice of binding a child’s head to achieve a more beautiful form.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: African Art #4

Crown | Unknown | African Art | glass beads, cloth, string | 20th century | Overall - 7 1/2 × 8 in. dia. (19.05 × 20.32 cm)

This elaborately decorated crown imitates the basic forms of the British royal crown, a poignant reminder that Yorubaland was once part of a British colony in West Africa. The birds, quintessential Yoruba motifs, refer to the Yoruba king’s relationship to the spirit world.

[vmfaeducation]

Week of Art: African Art #3

Phuungu (Lineage Power Figure) | Unknown | African Art | wood, glass beads, cloth fiber horn, feather | 19th-20th century | Overall - 10 1/2 × 3 3/8 × 4 3/4 in. (26.67 × 8.57 × 12.07 cm)

The bundles attached to this figure contain earth from ancestral graves, herbs, and other materials that harbor powers, including a feather and a small horn that introduce the spirits of the respective animals. Keen sensory perception is denoted by the figure’s large nose, projecting ears, and alert eyes, while the bared teeth convey aggression.