Snake sitting on a skull

Japan

19th century

Ivory

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2025 is the year of the snake. The snake represents wisdom, intelligence, and gracefulness. Snakes were not a popular motif in Japanese art and are especially rare in paintings. Instead, they appear in three-dimensional works like wood and ivory carvings. Gallery Not on View Gift of the Clark Center for Japanese Art & Culture; formerly given to the Center by the Peter B. McCord Collection