Kasuga-style stone lantern
Date19th century
PeriodEdo period (1615–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
MediumStone (basalt or sandstone)
DimensionsOverall: 60 1/2 × 20 × 20 in., 354 lb. (153.7 × 50.8 × 50.8 cm, 160.6 kg)
(Finial): 11 7/16 × 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 in., 16 lb. (29 × 14 × 14 cm, 7.3 kg)
(Roof): 7 7/8 × 19 11/16 × 19 11/16 in., 86 lb. (20 × 50 × 50 cm, 39 kg)
(Lantern "House"): 8 7/8 × 8 7/8 × 8 7/8 in., 32 lb. (22.5 × 22.5 × 22.5 cm, 14.5 kg)
(Lotus Support): 5 1/2 × 13 3/8 × 13 3/8 in., 55 lb. (14 × 34 × 34 cm, 24.9 kg)
(Stem): 18 1/8 × 8 7/16 × 8 7/16 in., 61 lb. (46 × 21.5 × 21.5 cm, 27.7 kg)
(Lotus base): 8 1/4 × 14 9/16 × 14 9/16 in., 104 lb. (21 × 37 × 37 cm, 47.2 kg)
(Finial): 11 7/16 × 5 1/2 × 5 1/2 in., 16 lb. (29 × 14 × 14 cm, 7.3 kg)
(Roof): 7 7/8 × 19 11/16 × 19 11/16 in., 86 lb. (20 × 50 × 50 cm, 39 kg)
(Lantern "House"): 8 7/8 × 8 7/8 × 8 7/8 in., 32 lb. (22.5 × 22.5 × 22.5 cm, 14.5 kg)
(Lotus Support): 5 1/2 × 13 3/8 × 13 3/8 in., 55 lb. (14 × 34 × 34 cm, 24.9 kg)
(Stem): 18 1/8 × 8 7/16 × 8 7/16 in., 61 lb. (46 × 21.5 × 21.5 cm, 27.7 kg)
(Lotus base): 8 1/4 × 14 9/16 × 14 9/16 in., 104 lb. (21 × 37 × 37 cm, 47.2 kg)
ClassificationsSculpture
Credit LineMuseum purchase, 2021
Object number2021.59
A stone lantern is a key element of Japanese tea house architecture. This lantern is of the Kasuga-dōrō type and is carved of basalt or sandstone. Kasuga lanterns are named after Kasuga Taisha shrine in Nara, famous for its thousands of stone lanterns and the deer that freely roam the grounds. The six-sided kasa, or roof, features warabite (“bracken-shoot design”) or scrolled corners, and is capped with a pointed finial. The hexagonal light box (a hollow space designed to accommodate a candle or lamp) has panels decoratively carved with a crescent moon and clouds, a sun, bamboo, and a seated deer, the latter a reference to the deer of Kasuga. This sits atop a cylindrical column set onto a lotus-form base.
On View
On viewLocation
- Grounds, Tea House
