A bronze garden gong

Description:

Japan, Meiji Period, late 19th c.
D. 77 cm
With a round, flat and hollow sound body, slightly curved. At the top a bronze two eyelets used for suspension.
Acquired by Bayer AG from Bernheimer by Carl Duisberg prior to 1930 - Partial age damage and surface changes due to many years of presentation in the park
In traditional Japanese gardens and Buddhist temples, round gongs occupy a place of quiet reverence. These circular, freely suspended metal instruments are struck with a softly padded mallet, producing a deep, resonant tone that lingers in the air like a gentle echo. The circular form holds profound symbolic significance: as a perfect shape, it represents harmony, completeness, and the cyclical nature of existence. Within the garden, the gong's sound marks the passage of time with understated dignity or invites moments of contemplative reflection, harmonizing with the rustle of leaves and the flow of water. In the temple, it signals the commencement of meditations, rituals, or prayers.
This lot is subject to standard taxation: a premium of 24.5 % will be charged on the hammer price. Statutory VAT is payable on the hammer price plus premium.