Vase - High Relief Fruit Motif Vase - Hirai Shoho (平井昇甫) - Japan - Takaoka Copperware

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【Product details】

A Showa period Takaoka copper vase created using the traditional lost-wax casting method, made by Hirai Shoho (平井 昇甫), a distinguished metal artist known for his many awards in the Nitten exhibitions. The surface is richly decorated in high relief with pomegranate, peach, physalis, persimmon, chestnut and pear. The artist’s signature is engraved beneath the pomegranate.

Takaoka metalwork has its origins in 1611, when Maeda Toshinaga, the second lord of the Kaga Domain, invited metal casters and established a foundry as part of his plan to develop the castle town of Takaoka. The craft flourished through the production of bronze flower vases, Buddhist implements and other cast objects decorated with intricate metal engraving. By the Meiji period, Takaoka copperware had gained international recognition, exhibiting at events such as the Paris Exposition and earning a strong global reputation.

Each motif carries an auspicious meaning in Japanese art. The pomegranate symbolises fertility and abundance. The peach represents longevity, protection and the power to ward off evil. Physalis evokes good fortune and guidance. The persimmon is associated with wisdom, autumn bounty and cultural refinement. The chestnut signifies prosperity and strength, while the European pear represents nourishment, blessings and gentle prosperity.

Hirai Shōho studied under the nationally designated Living National Treasure Suga Shoen at the age of seventeen, mastering the lost-wax casting technique. In 1975, at the age of forty-four, he was officially recognised as a Traditional Craftsman by the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries.

There are abrasions, discolouration, age-related patina and some areas of green verdigris, and the interior shows areas of corrosion with flaking. Good used condition. Please check the photos for details.

Dimensions: approx. H 27.5 cm W 22 cm D 21 cm

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Thank you for your interest, and happy bidding!