Artwork Details
65-3/4 x 145-1/2 in. (installed)
PeriodMr. and Mrs. William R. Spurlock Fund
CopyrightAsian Art (Japanese and Korean)
Color PaletteConceived with wit and humor, the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, or Shichifukujin, are engaged in bouts of sumo wrestling. Jurojin, god of longevity, reclines against his deer. Benzaiten, goddess of beauty and music, pats the deer’s head. Locked in an even grip with the fisherman Ebisu, god of integrity and purity, the helmeted Bishamonten, who represents authority, looks back questioningly to Benzaiten. Fukurokuju, god of wisdom and longevity, uses his high-domed head to attack his opponent, while Hotei, who symbolizes abundance and great capacity, pushes back heartily. Daikokuten, god of wealth, acts as referee.
Arising independently in Buddhism, Daoism, and Shinto, these deities were first grouped together in Japan between the 15th and 17th centuries. One theory proposes a connection to the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove," a Chinese theme (see an example of this theme elsewhere in this installation). Examples of humorous treatment of these gods bordering on the irreverent can be seen throughout Edo period art, indicating the pervasive popularity of the Shichifukujin at the time.
Content Disclaimer and Usage Rights
Metadata about the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection comes from Newfields’ records and research. In some cases, information may be incomplete and research is ongoing. Newfields’ goal is to have as up-to-date metadata as possible, therefore, this information is subject to change. Newfields collections’ metadata is available under a Creative Commons Zero (CC0) waiver, which allows for re-use without legal restrictions.
Artworks that appear in the image file(s) above may be in copyright or have other legal and/or cultural restrictions to their use. For clarity, Newfields does not claim copyright to the image files created by Newfields of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Newfields makes every effort to ascertain the copyright status of artworks in the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s collection. Please refer to the RightsStatements.org statement above for information about the current copyright status of the artwork. Additionally, some artworks may include Local Context’s Notices or Labels that attribute cultural authority of the artwork’s heritage and data.
Additional information about Newfields’ reproduction guidelines can be found in the Licensing Resources.