JAPAN
Pair of Vases
c. 1880Bronze inlaid with gold and silver | 55.5 x 27.5 x 26.5 cm (whole object) | RCIN 7798
The dramatic scenes on these vases illustrate the legend of Prince Yamato. On one occasion, the hero pursued a demon boar rampaging through the forest. Knowing the beast’s only vulnerable spot was its tail, Yamato leapt onto its back and sliced it off with a sacred sword. A range of subtly coloured gold and silver inlays present these exploits in exquisite detail.