8 - GENRYUSAI SEIYA: A SUPERB AND LARGE BRONZE ‘TIGER EMERGING FROM A ROCKY GORGE’ VASE

GENRYUSAI SEIYA: A SUPERB AND LARGE BRONZE ‘TIGER EMERGING FROM A ROCKY GORGE’ VASE By Genryusai Seiya, sealed Seiya Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912) Superbly cast, the tall, gently tapering ovoid body rising from a short circular foot to a flared, petal-lobed mouth. The richly patinated bronze is masterfully worked in high relief with a powerful tiger dramatically emerging from beneath a rugged, overhanging rocky outcrop, its muscular body projecting boldly from the surface, the broad head lowered and turned outward, with a piercing gaze accentuated by its glaring golden eyes. The animal's fur is meticulously rendered with fine incision, particularly around the face, neck, and powerful shoulders, while its forelegs extend toward a gently flowing stream below. The deeply sculpted rockwork, with sparse pine foliage, extends across the sides of the vessel, creating a striking contrast with the smooth, subtly variegated bronze ground. The stream and scattered stones are delicately rendered in low relief. Sealed underneath SEIYA. HEIGHT 39 cm WEIGHT 4 kg Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, tiny nicks, and minor malachite encrustations to the underside. Few casting flaws to the back. Genryusai Seiya was a celebrated bronze craftsman who headed a Tokyo workshop renowned for its naturalistic animal sculptures, particularly tigers, elephants, and other exotic animals. While many of these works were conceived as freestanding okimono, the present vase demonstrates the workshop's remarkable ability to integrate sculptural naturalism into vessel design. Particularly impressive is the dramatic treatment of the tiger, which appears almost to emerge from the surface of the bronze, its powerful musculature, intricately textured fur, and piercing golden eyes conveying an extraordinary sense of vitality. The contrast between the deeply modeled animal and rocky landscape and the smooth, lustrous patination further enhances the sculptural effect.