Each month, we select a fascinating work of art to showcase as our Featured Item and this month, we have a real “beauty.”
From the renowned Miyao Company of Tokyo and Yokohama, this wonderful, large-scale (57cm in overall height) Japanese Bronze Okimono of an Oni holding aloft a Temple Bell.
(As always with our blogs and articles, you can click on any of the images to take a closer look)
Oni are some of the most-popular and most-often depicted protagonists in Japanese legend. A mythical beast similar in appearance to the Ogre often described in Western folk-stories. The artist has wonderfully captured the ghastly character of this particular Oni – devilish horns, mischievous eyes and sharpened teeth all picked out in Gold.
Oni are known to be capable of great strength and are often depicted with rippling muscles and displaying their physical prowess by carrying impossibly heavy objects. In this piece, the beast is holding aloft (with just one arm) a giant, upturned Temple Bell.
A further display of the fearsome strength and barbarity of this Oni is to be found in his attire. His shorts made from the skins of slain, ferocious mythical beasts.
Oni are often depicted wearing wrist and ankle shackles. This is a dark insight into the origin of the Oni. It was said that when sinful humans died and left their mortal bodies, the very worst were transformed into Oni to become enslaved servants of the Lord of Hell.
In this particular sculpture, the Oni is carrying aloft a great Temple Bell, or “Bonsho”. It is similar to the iconic “Bell of Mii-dera” that still stands to this day at the Mii-dera Temple Complex in Ōtsu, Shiga Prefecture.
Legend has it that the Temple Bell was once stolen by Musashibo Benkei, a fearsome Warrior Monk who was so enchanted by the Bonsho that he wanted it for his own nearby Monastery.
One night Benkei crept into the Mii-dera Monastery and after much effort, managed to take the giant back to his own temple at Mt Hiei. However, the next morning when he rang the bell, instead of the glorious sound it had made previously, it emitted a mournful cry, chanting “Take me back to Mii-dera”.
Benkei was furious and threw the bell back down into the valley where it was retrieved by the monks of Mii-dera who lovingly restored it back to its rightful place.
Perhaps, this devilish Oni was inspired by the antics of the Warrior Monk.
Another depiction of the Great Bell of Mii-Dera, this time held aloft by a Dragon
The piece bears the mark of the Miyao Company to the rear of the left leg.
Founded by Miyao Eisuke, the Miyao Company was a prolific manufacturer of fine quality Bronzes during the Meiji Restoration. Their works were exhibited, to great acclaim, at many of the National and International Expositions of the time. You can view a selection of works by the Miyao Company by clicking here or on the below image.
The figure stands on a classically-Miyao wood stand with fine gold lacquer decoration of swirling designs of stylised Phoenix Birds.
We recently wrote a blog about Oni and the role they play in Japanese folklore. You can find that, (if you dare) by clicking here or on the image below.
In fact, if you enjoyed this article, you can discover over 100 blogs and stories inspired by our collection of Chinese and Japanese Fine Art and Antiques by clicking here.
