10 - GENRYUSAI SEIYA: A FINE BRONZE OKIMONO OF THREE EGRETS SUPPORTING A CRYSTAL BALL

GENRYUSAI SEIYA: A FINE BRONZE OKIMONO OF THREE EGRETS SUPPORTING A CRYSTAL BALL By Genryusai Seiya, signed Seiya sei Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912) Finely cast as three elegant egrets standing back-to-back, each balanced on one slender leg, their long necks gracefully arched backward and their upturned beaks meeting to support a crystal ball above. The plumage is naturalistically rendered with finely incised detailing, lending texture and definition to the compact, highly balanced composition. Signed to the tail feathers of one egret SEIYA sei [made by Seiya]. HEIGHT 21 cm (incl. crystal ball), 18.5 cm (excl. crystal ball) WEIGHT 1,016 g (incl. crystal ball), 743 g (excl. crystal ball) Condition: Very good condition with minor expected wear and minimal casting flaws. The separately cast legs with old reattachments at the joints, consistent with their construction. Genryusai Seiya was a master craftsman who headed a highly successful workshop specializing in finely cast bronzes made largely for the export market. His production ranged from figural and genre subjects to elaborate vessels and exceptionally naturalistic studies of animals. The present work is a particularly inventive example of the workshop’s ability to combine careful observation of the natural world with an elegant and highly decorative composition. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related Chinese figure of three egrets supporting a crystal ball, dated 18th-19th century, 12.7 cm in diameter, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, object number 02.18.814a, b. The earlier Chinese work provides an intriguing precedent for the distinctive arrangement of three birds supporting a sphere. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related bronze table ornament similarly modeled with cranes supporting a crystal ball, signed Yoshiharu, dated late 19th century, 17.8 cm tall, at Christie’s, Japanese and Korean Art, 23 March 2000, New York, lot 89 (sold for USD 17,250 or approx. EUR 30,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).