Gallery Talk: Uncovering the Layered Past of a Haniwa Figure

Know Before You Go

How to join: Check in at the Visitor Services desk starting at 10am; space is limited.
Fee: This is a free event.
Accessibility accommodations: Email am_register@harvard.edu at least 48 hours in advance, including the name and date of the program in the subject line.
General info: The museum visit page has general guidelines for your visit.

If you’re in the Calderwood Courtyard, you’ll likely see a newly installed sculpture: a 6th-century terracotta sculpture from Japan’s Kofun period (c. 250–600), called a haniwa. Haniwa were created from coils and slabs of clay, shaped into figures or structures, and then placed around the outside of royal tombs. This figure underwent comprehensive analysis and treatment in preparation for its display. Join objects conservation fellow Kaela Nurmi as she shares how the conservation treatment uncovered original surfaces obscured by layers of restoration, offering insights into how the sculpture was reconstructed in the past.

This gallery talk is part of our New on View series, highlighting recent gallery installations and presenting new insights into recent acquisitions or old favorites.

Led by:
Kaela Nurmi, Objects Conservation Fellow, Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies