Lot 401

JAPANESE VASE KINKÓ SENNIN

Japan, early 20th century, Meiji period. A large, impressive, bulbous ceramic vase depicting the story of a Chinese Taoist sage known in Chinese as Qin Gao and in Japanese as Kinkō Sennin. In the mythological adaptation of the story, the painter, hermit, and sage appear on a winged carp, reading a scroll on the carp's back, etc. In certain variations, Japanese art also depicts a court courtesan or other figures on the carp's back, but the central theme of the story remains respect for life. Colored pigments, glaze, gilding.