Our featured work of art this month is this outstanding, (and large) pair of Warriors by the Miyao Company and measuring a substantial 72cm in height. (As always with our Blog posts and Articles, you can click on any of the images for a close look at the piece in question.)
The imposing figures stand strong against the wind that is blowing fiercely around their robes and (impressive) facial hair.
With mirrored poses, each grips a Ruyi scepter in one hand whilst holding aloft a monumental incense burner above their heads as if making an offering to a higher figure.
Each Warrior General wears opulent robes, luxuriously decorated with symbolic emblems and various Mon (a Japanese crest used to identify a specific family or allegiance to a clan.).
The Dragon is a symbol of wisdom, strength, and good fortune. In Japan, Dragons are revered as benevolent guardians and aquatic deities closely tied to the natural forces of rain, rivers, and the sea.
The Phoenix is known as the Hoo and is representation of peace, prosperity, harmony, the Sun and the Imperial family. Unlike the portrayal of the Phoenix in Western culture, the Hoo is a symbol of peacetime rather than death and rebirth.
This stylised Water-Dragon Mon appears on both figures and is a symbol of the ultimate and untamed power of nature. It represents the dichotomy between water as life-giving nourishment and its brutal and unforgiving destructive force through storms and flooding.
One of the figures has a massive flowering Peony on his chest above a single Cherry blossom. The Peony is known as the “King of the flowers” in Japan and represents bravery, courage, honour, wealth and good fortune, whilst the Cherry Blossom (Sakura) is a symbol of the beautiful, fleeting and often unappreciated, transient nature of life.
The second figure, with butterflies, Sakura and stylised Chrysanthemum on his robes, wears an Obi (belt) with Giant Lion Dog clasp. Butterflies can be a symbol of both the living and the dead and Lion Dogs were believed to ward off evil spirits.
Both figures carry the mark of the Miyao Company in a rectangular gilt tablet to the reverse.
The Koros themselves are works of art in their own right. Each cauldron-form vessel with three feet, each in the form of stylised mythical beasts.
Playful Lion Dogs (Komainu) adorn the body of each Koro looking up at a prancing beast that has made it to the summit of the incense burner, jaws open and tail proudly blowing in the wind. The neck and shoulder of each Koro with an elaborate foliate gilt design.
About the Miyao Company
At the end of the 19th Century and under the rule of Emperor Meiji, Japan underwent a massive cultural and industrial transformation. With the abolishment of the Samurai class, the wearing of swords in public was banned and armourers and master metalworkers pivoted their extraordinary skills toward creating decorative fine art to be exported to the newly accessible and highly lucrative Western world.
At the forefront of this golden age of art was the Miyao Company of Yokohama. Founded by Miyao Eisuke, the workshop became (and remains) world-renowned for its exquisite cast-bronze Okimono. What set Miyao apart from many of their contemporaries was the striking, dynamic sense of movement and unmatched attention to detail in their work.
The workshop produced meticulously detailed figures of legendary Samurai, Deities, mythical beasts (such as Oni, Nio, Komainu and Shachichoko), every day Japanese folk such as craftsmen, fishermen, traders and hunters and decorative functional items such as incense burners, vases, chargers and candlestick holders. Click on any of the smaller images below to see a selection of works by the Miyao Company from our collection of Japanese, late 19th Century metalwork.
Using advanced gilding techniques they were able to accent the rich brown patina of the Bronze with brilliant Gold inlay that helped bring the sculpture to life.
A trademark of the Miyao Company is often found underneath the metalwork. Instead of using simple stands, Miyao works were often mounted upon custom, hand-carved wooden plinths decorated with fine gold lacquer scroll work.
The Miyao Company proudly showcases these masterpieces at International World Fairs such as the Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in 1876 and the 1900 Paris Exposition. To this day, works by the Miyao Company capture the imagination, feature in prestigious museums such as the V&A and are highly sought after by collectors around the world.
Click Here on the video below to see a short-slideshow of works by the Miyao Company from our collection of Japanese Meiji-era metalware:
We hope you enjoyed this article. You can find over 150 short-stories and blogs inspired by our collection of Chinese and Japanese Fine Art and Antiques over on the News Page of our website.
