C.D.A.1250

Nuova Guinea

<p>La testa veniva tagliata, scarnificata e nelle cavità orbitali venivano inseriti dischi di legno. Il teschio veniva tinto e l'apertura della bocca decorata da piccoli pezzi di madreperla e semi. I teschi, se crani-trofeo provenienti da nemici uccisi in guerra, venivano privati della mandibola e spesso recano traccia di aperture praticate per cibarsi del cervello. Se invece provenivano dagli antenati erano completi.</p>

<p>Simbolo di prestigio/funzione protettiva I crani dei nemici potevano essere portati nei campi per propiziare il raccolto oppure potevano favorire le capacità produttiva degli uomini. I crani degli antenati potevano essere appesi al collo o usati come poggia testa per dormire e riposare così da garantirsi una protezione contro gli spiriti maligni. Vita quotidiana</p>

Entire skull painted ochre with orbital cavities filled with paper with painted eyes. Inscription in illegible ink. On the top of the skull is a crown of feathers with a calamus attached to a vegetable fibre cord, the front decorated with shell discs. It was hung on the wall of the dwelling. Skulls, if skull-trophies from enemies killed in war, were deprived of the mandible and often bore traces of openings made to feed on the brain. If, on the other hand, they came from ancestors, they were complete.

- XVII

B-1575

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 125.2

Bronzo fuso

According to an ancient Buddhist legend, the Bodhisattva Kannon tried to perceive at one time the total sum of the sufferings of all living beings; he was so overwhelmed with pain and fear that his head exploded into eleven fragments. Then the Amida Buddha collected all the pieces and transformed them into eleven heads, setting them in a crown on Kannon's head and gaving the upper one its own appearance. In this way he would have as many as eleven heads to reflect on all ways to help suffering beings. Kannon is the emanation of Amida, the Buddha of the West, as well the bodhisattva of compassion; this statue represents “Kannon with Eleven Faces” just as the legend says. The heads are arranged in a crown on three levels, Kannon also wears a diadem with an image of the Amida Buddha standing. The lower nine heads indicate the stages of the path to Enlightenment, while the upper one has the appearance of a Buddha and represents the full completion his journey to Enlightenment. The main head of our Kannon has a calm expression: its eyes are half-closed, and his expression encourages calm and serenity. The gaze is turned downwards, towards the right hand, which makes the gesture of the gift. The small heads are equal to three to three and have serene, frowning and furious expressions respectively that represent the "Three Hidden Treasures", the "Three Guardians" and the "Three Defenders". From the inscriptions engraved on the legs we learn that this statue was commissioned and offered "by Abbot Junrensha Hanyo and Chief Priest Nen'a Ryūen, for the beatitude of the parents in this world and in the Pure Land".

1885 - XIX

IR 1940-007

Unità di misura: cm; Altezza: 11.5; Larghezza: 18.6

carta stampaggio

Chiossone, a designer and engraver, is responsible for the issues of the currency paper of modern Japan; he produced about 500 plates for banknotes, stamps, bonds and other government issues, and imported from abroad industrial machines that guaranteed a high level of printing and trained the Japanese employees of the Poligrafico in their use. During his work he studied Japanese iconography deeply, this specific knowledge was necessary for his profession as a designer and engraver, and this significantly increased his interest in art; on the illustrated books of the “Kyōsai Gadan”, the Treatise on painting of Kawanabe Kyōsai (also present in our collection) there are, written in the margin, many annotations by Chiossone who studied the illustrations and subjects of the books. It is thought that Edoardo Chiossone personally knew Kyōsai (1831-1889), a contemporary of his, of whom he owned and collected several works. The study of iconography led him to prefer one character in particular: Daikokuten. 100-yen convertible silver banknote called "Daikokuten" Daikokuten is a deity associated with luck, wealth and prosperity, recognizable by the typical flat hat, by a sack that he carries with him and, above all, by the uchide no kozuchi, a magic hammer able of granting any wish. The figure of Daikokuten recurs in many artworks present in the Chiossone collection (woodblock prints, paintings, bronzes, decorative masks and inrō). His characteristic "ability to produce wealth" made him the ideal subject for the 100 yen convertible silver banknote called "Daikokuten". On the banknote the character is depicted according to a traditional iconography, often recurring in prints and paintings: with a sack and the magic hammer, sitting on sacks of rice, in turn a symbol of abundant harvest and surrounded by mice, also attracted by the abundance of grain. The physical roundness of the character once again highlights his wealth. Daikokuten was certainly a symbol to represent a positive future for Japan in a time of great change, but also a connection with the past thanks to his traditional iconography, therefore he is a symbol of tradition on a new, modern banknote made with a cutting-edge printing technique that allows colour shades not previously possible. Not only that; the banknote also reports in English the wording convertible into silver, a further sign of Japan's opening to internationality.