Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Sculpture (6)

Colossal incense burner in cast bronze representing the divine carp ridden by the fisherman who spared her when she was little. To reward him, she takes him to heaven and immortality. Wooden base. Very good quality of cast bronze and carving. Bronze sculptures of this quality and size are usually made for universal exhibitions. We have not yet found any trace of this one. Despite the quality this sculpture is anonymous. Japan late 19th century. Height 230cm. Weight 104 kilograms.

Buddhist lion in gilded bronze. Japanese work from the Edo period (17 ° -19 °) difficult to date with precision. However the style of the round patches of the coat does not seem to me to be 17 °, it is more reasonable to think 18 ° -19 °. The cast iron is of good quality and very thick which makes it very heavy (18 kilograms). The bronze was hot gilded with mercury and then covered with translucent lacquer which gives an orange color. A suit of 17 ° -18 ° gilded in the same way is housed at the Tokyo National Museum I have attached a photo of the sleeves.The carving is precise and deep.Statuary of very high quality. The lion is hollow and has an opening on the back, it serves as an incense burner. There must be a ball between the paws missing. Height approx: 37 cm Weight: 17.5 kg

Buddha in gilded lacquered wood. In the middle of the forehead is inlaid in mother-of-pearl the eye of the spirit. Le buddha is placed on a lotus-shaped plinth and leans against a glory sculpted with volutes. The base and the glory are from the Edo period.The Buddha is probably older, it is constructed differently,having a thick solid layer of reddish-brown lacquer visible where the worn gold powder has gone and is much more worn.The face and torso are atypical of those of the Edo period. Only a specialist in Japanese statuary will perhaps be able to determine an exact period. There are many shocks and wear as can be seen in the photos. For those who are interested, I will provide other photos detailing precisely all the accidents and wear, so that there is no disappointment. Honestly my feeling is that this is a sculpture from the austere times of the Muromachi period either 16 ° or before. Total height 65cm.

Handle rest cut from a half section of bamboo, skillfully sculpted with lotus flowers on an aquatic background. In a small spared rectangle, the artist incised his name in 2 Chinese characters. The quality of the sculpture is beautiful, precise and deep, some stems are completely detached from the base. The old patina is superb. The decor, although cluttered, is very elegant. This is an excellent quality handle rest executed for a scholar by a good artist. The translation of the signature should confirm. We can translate it on request. 19th century or earlier. Good condition. No restoration, splits or sticking. 152x64mm.

Young boy in cast bronze. The subject is treated with breathtaking realism, thoughtful expression, body movement, everything is perfect and announces one of the greatest artists of his time. Examination of the fishing rod confirms this. Indeed this rod is so thin that it could not be cast, it was made patiently with a file starting with the thin end. It is movingly realistic with the knots and twists of growth. It is extremely fragile because bronze is a brittle metal. It's a miracle if it survived the century without being broken.This sculpture is different to the usual Japanese bronzes of this period which have no soul. Hight:48cm Encumbrance with the rod:75cm

They are carved from a single piece of wood. They are hollowed out on the back to probably receive a column. They had to be at the entrance of a temple and supported the portico. The wood is cracked and blackened by time. I think they are Edo period Japanese, but they may be earlier. They are two magnificent creatures with a powerful and fierce appearance. The fact that the wood is excessively weathered makes me think they were outside the temple, at the front door. This blackness of the wood is due to the secular effect of the sun. The wood is heavy and hard but it is impossible to tell which tree it is. Dimensions: 55x36x28cm Weight: 14 kg each