Incense burner
Miyao Company
Category
Art / Sculpture
Date
1870 - 1899
Materials
Bronze, Wood
Measurements
579 mm (Height)
Place of origin
Yokohama
Order this imageCollection
Lanhydrock, Cornwall
NT 884300
Summary
Bronze incense burner (koro), Miyao Company, Yokohama, Japan, late 19th century. In the form of a bronze bare-footed figure with bangles on wrists and ankles, robes decorated with brass figures, supports a lidded bowl forming an incense burner, the lid with finial in the form of a bronze and brass dog (karashishi) with tasselled ball. On wooden stand decorated with gold hiramaki-e (low relief lacquer) scrollwork, characteristic of Miyao work. Produced for export. (In four parts, including stand). The figure represented may be Handaka Sonja (Sanskrit: Arhat Panthaka), one of the sixteen disciples of Buddha. He is usually shown accompanied by a dragon which he keeps in a bowl or in a gourd. This association may be represented by the dragon depicted on the side of the bowl. A very similar figure was sold at Christie's, London, 18 May 20212, lot 25.
Full description
The Miyao Company was founded by Miyao Eiseke in Yokohama, Japan. The company produced finely-worked medium to large-scale patinated and gilded bronze ornamental objects and sculptures. Produced both for local and export markets, they depicted characters from Japanese legend and mythology, often in realist style.
Provenance
from the bequest of Mrs. J. Isaac, Cosawas Barton, Ponsanooth, Truro. Received November 1999 and brought to Lanhydrock September 2003
Makers and roles
Miyao Company, maker