Japanese, Bizen
The Poet Li Bai, early 19th century
Glazed ceramic (Bizen ware), 28.6 cm (11 1/4 in.) height
This small ceramic sculpture of a seated, elderly man is a deep red-brown color. He sits partially cross legged, with his left knee peeking out from his robes, while his right knee is flexed and pointed up. His thick soled, right clog peeks out from under his floor length garment. His drapery spills over and forms a point of folds that hides most of his left leg, yet reveals the shape of his round protruding belly under his V necked undergarment. His right hand rests on the outer side of his right knee while his left arm is largely hidden by the folds of his robes. His large, rounded head has a knot of hair at the back with parallel comb marks leading to it. He has a three-pointed beard and long drooping mustache that shows the marks of combing. His head is tilted a bit upward. He has a rounded nose, prominent cheek pouches, parted upturned lips, and visible small upper teeth of which the front two are missing. He has deep set eyes under bushy eyebrows, protruding ears with stretched lobes, and a wrinkled high forehead.
Early Italian Room
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.