Serbaz or Soldier Playing Card for the Game of Nas
Object Label
The surface of this head is lifelike, but its expression may lead us to contemplate the psychic life at play behind the closed eyes. The sculptor Isamu Noguchi modeled this likeness of his uncle Takagi, a Buddhist priest, in gratitude for his hospitality during the artist’s visit to Tokyo in 1931. One of three casts from the original clay sculpture, the head suggests the “closed-eye vision” achieved through meditation.
Caption
Serbaz or Soldier Playing Card for the Game of Nas, mid–19th century. Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on wood or papiermâché under lacquered varnish, 2 3/8 x 1 9/16 in. (6.0 x 4.0 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Museum Collection, X274i.
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Gallery
Not on view
Collection
Title
Serbaz or Soldier Playing Card for the Game of Nas
Date
mid–19th century
Period
Qajar Period
Medium
Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on wood or papiermâché under lacquered varnish
Classification
Dimensions
2 3/8 x 1 9/16 in. (6.0 x 4.0 cm)
Credit Line
Brooklyn Museum Collection
Accession Number
X274i
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