Vase - Bronze - Japan - Meiji period (1868-1912)

A superb antique Meiji period bronze vase, Japan, late 19th century.

The bulbous lobed body rises to a slender neck, crowned with an openwork pierced rim of stylized floral lattice. Coiled around the neck and body is a powerfully modeled dragon, sculpted in high relief with meticulously chased scales, sinewy limbs, sharp curved claws, and a fierce, whiskered dragon head with bared fangs. The dragon climbs the neck of the vase in pursuit of the sacred pearl (hōju), clutched triumphantly within its claw — a rare and important iconographic detail, as the pearl is more commonly shown just out of reach and is often missing from the work.

The bronze has taken on a rich, dark chocolate-brown patina consistent with age, with naturally occurring variations in tone across the surface. The casting and chasing work is of outstanding quality, characteristic of the finest Meiji-period metalwork produced for both domestic connoisseurship and Western export markets.

Condition: fair, with some old damage and restorations, consistent with age and use.

Dimensions: H 37 cm x D 20 cm

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On the Dragon and the Sacred Pearl:

In East Asian mythology, the dragon (ryū in Japanese, long in Chinese) is a benevolent and powerful spirit associated with water, rain, rivers, and the sea — a guardian of nature's forces rather than a creature of destruction as in Western tradition. Dragons were believed to control rainfall and were petitioned in times of drought, making them potent symbols of fertility, abundance, and imperial authority.

The sacred pearl, or hōju (宝珠), is one of the most enduring motifs paired with the dragon. Often depicted as a luminous, flaming orb, the pearl symbolizes wisdom, spiritual power, and the essence of the dragon's own supernatural energy — some legends describe it as containing the dragon's very soul or life force. It is closely related to the Buddhist cintāmani, the "wish-fulfilling jewel," said to grant the desires of whoever possesses it and to purify impure water and dispel suffering.

The image of a dragon chasing or clutching the pearl — as seen on this vase — is a classic and auspicious composition in Japanese and Chinese art, representing the eternal pursuit of enlightenment, wisdom, and good fortune. A dragon shown actually grasping the pearl, rather than reaching for it, is considered a particularly powerful and fortuitous representation, symbolizing the attainment of wisdom and mastery over the elemental forces the dragon commands.