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1948 (cast in bronze 1982)

Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904–1988)

Noguchi often found artistic sources in the mythologies of different cultures. Here, the title refers to one of the ten incarnations of the Hindu deity Vishnu, whose avatars (literally "descents") include the forms of a fish, tortoise, boar, and human-lion hybrid. Noguchi's creature possesses an ambiguous anatomy, but its powerful presence implies an underlying spirituality.

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Object Details

Title:

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Date:

1948 (cast in bronze 1982)

Artist:

Isamu Noguchi (American, 1904–1988)

Medium:

Bronze

Dimensions:

6 feet 6 1/2 inches × 33 inches × 23 inches (199.4 × 83.8 × 58.4 cm) Base: 24 3/4 × 26 3/8 inches (62.9 × 67 cm)

Classification:

Sculpture

Credit Line:

125th Anniversary Acquisition. Gift of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation, Inc., 2001

Accession Number:

2001-45-1

Geography:

Made in United States, North and Central America

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Currently not on view