Gallery Talk: Uncovering the Layered Past of a Haniwa Figure

Name: Gallery Talk: Uncovering the Layered Past of a Haniwa Figure
Start: 2026-01-29T12:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-29T13:00:00-05:00
Location: Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138

Schedule

Thu Jan 29 2026 at 12:30 pm to 01:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Harvard Art Museums, 32 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138 | Cambridge, MA

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
Please check in with museum staff at the Visitor Services desk in the Calderwood Courtyard to request to join the gallery talk. Space is limited, and talks are available on a first-come, first-served basis; no registration is required.