MIYAO EISUKE COMPANY OF YOKOHAMA
A Finely Patinated Bronze Jardinière with Gold Accents
Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century
The square body with a wide everted rim and raised on a waisted base resting on four short feet embellished with stylised floral scrolls, the sides applied with large rectangular lobed panels featuring a different animal or beast rendered in high relief, one enclosing a prancing kirin, another with a crawling minogame (bushy-tailed tortoise), the third with a ho-o bird in flight, the fourth with a winged three-clawed dragon, each panel flanked by exaggeratedly long tongues issuing from horned oni (demon) heads defined with a rain dragon further highlighted in gold low relief, all beneath a secondary design of chidori (plovers or dotterels) in flight; each large panel signed Miyao within a rectangular gilt reserve. 32.5cm x 39.5cm (12¾in x 15½in).
Footnotes:
A similar example decorated with figural motifs by the Miyao workshop was sold at Bonhams, New York, 19 March 2008, lot 5241.