The Departure from Kashima (Deity of the Kasuga out)

late 14th century

According to legends, the Kasuga Shrine was built in the 8th century after the Shinto deity Takemikazuchi no Mikoto arrived at Mount Mikasa near Nara, the capital at the time, from Kashima in northeast Japan. Takemikazuchi is portrayed here as a courtier mounted on a large white stag. Considered sacred as mounts for Shinto deities, deer are particularly revered in the Kasuga Shrine. Above Takemikazuchi and the stag, a large mirror hangs over a sakaki tree. The mirror forms part of the sacred regalia of Japan, along with a jewel and a sword.

Ink, color and gold on silk

55 3/8 x 31 1/2 in. (140.65 x 80.01 cm)

Overall h.: 88 1/16 in.

Overall w.: 43 1/2 in.

Gift of the heirs of D. E. Frederick: Janny Padelford, Donald F. Padelford, Diana P. Binkley, Carol P. Luxford, Fay P. Michener

92.8

Photo: Susan A. Cole

Not currently on view

Resources

Exhibition HistorySan Francisco, California, M.H. de Young Memorial Museum, Treasures of Japan, 1960.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Japanese Art in S.A.M., 1960.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Pavilion, A Thousand Cranes, Feb. 5 - Jul. 12, 1987.

Tokyo, Japan, Suntory Museum of Art, Luminous Jewels: Masterpieces of Asian Art From the Seattle Art Museum, July 25 - Sept. 6, 2009 (Kobe, Japan, Kobe City Museum, Sept. 19 - Dec. 6, 2009; Kofu, Japan, Yamanashi Prefectural Museum of Art, Dec. 23, 2009 - Feb. 28, 2010; Atami, Japan, MOA Museum of Art, Mar. 13 - May 9, 2010; Fukuoka, Japan, Fukuoka Art Museum, May 23 - July 19, 2010).

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Asian Art Museum, Legends, Tales, Poetry: Visual Narrative in Japanese Art, Dec. 22, 2012 - Jul. 21, 2013.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Noble Splendor: Art of Japanese Aristocrats, Jul. 28, 2018 - Mar. 3, 2019.

Seattle, Washington, Seattle Art Museum, Deities and Demons: Supernatural in Japanese Art, Oct. 20, 2022 - ongoing [on view Oct. 20, 2022 - Apr. 9, 2023] .

Published ReferencesKawai, Masatomo, Yasuhiro Nishioka, Yukiko Sirahara, editors, "Luminous Jewels: Masterpieces of Asian Art From the Seattle Art Museum", 2009, The Yomiuri Shimbun, catalogue number 29

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