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Lot 1850
AN EXTRAORDINARY AND LARGE BRONZE VASE
Estimated Value:
4.000 € - 6.000 €
Schätzpreis:
Description:
Japan, signed Bihôken zô 美峯軒造, Meiji period, ca. 1880H. 130,5 cm
The vase consists of a multi-tiered base on phoenix and dragon head feet, a highly sculpted body with a mountain landscape with two mighty eagles, large openwork pine branch handles and a tall lid shaped as a landscape. The scenes on the body and lid illustrate the story of Endo Morito who, after mistakenly killing a beloved woman, became a monk and took the name Mongaku. The body shows him doing penance by standing under a waterfall in mid-winter. This theme became famous through the illustration in Hokusai’s “Ehon sakigake”, which served as a model for this artist here, but also for many others. When Fudô, who is also known as the god of waterfalls, thought Mongaku had done enough penance, he sent his two assistants Seitaka Dôji and Kongara Dôji to convey Fudô’s forgiving to him. Fudô's two acolytes are depicted on the cover, Sataka with staff and Kongara with a lotos flower.
From an old European private collection, collected before 1990.
Very slightly chipped, minor traces of age
