JAPANESE WORKS OF ART 19th May 2020
THE ENDURING MEMENTOES OF AN EPHEMERAL SPRING This pair of bronze vases (above) are a magnificent example of the work produced by the studio of Inoue of Kyoto in the late 19th century. Gold and silver inlays create a composition where men are dwarfed by the majestic mountainous landscape. The figures are depicted at leisure under sakura, the iconic 20 | WOOLLEY & WALLIS
cherry blossoms of Japan, the silver petals glistening like hundreds of jewels on the dark bronze ground. The viewing of sakura flowers (hanami) is a famous tradition which resonates with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, the celebration and acceptance of transience and imperfection. The scenes depicted here pay
tribute to this idea, the fragility of the petals cleverly mirrored by the precious material. The flower in a rhomboid cell featured in the background is the mon family crest for the Yonekura clan and these impressive vases were probably produced as a one-off special commission for the family.
