A LACQUERED WOOD KURA (SADDLE) WITH TIGERS IN BAMBOO

A LACQUERED WOOD KURA (SADDLE) WITH TIGERS IN BAMBOO
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Of kurabane type, carved from red oak, the saddle lacquered with nashiji, the pommel (maewa) and cantle (shizuwa) both with a roiro ground finely decorated predominantly gold takamaki-e and hiramaki-e with kirikane to depict a ferocious roaring tiger balancing on a leafy bamboo stalk. The four triangular rings (shiode) for attaching the saddle are decorated with aogai inlay.
HEIGHT 26.3 cm, WIDTH 41 cm, LENGTH 39 cm
Condition: Good condition with minor wear and small losses to lacquer. One of the shiode lost.
Provenance: Dutch collection.
Tiger
imagery has a long history in East Asia. Tigers were frequently paired with dragons—the tiger representing the 'male' principle, the yin to the female 'yang' of the dragon, ancient cosmological symbols. Tigers are also commonly paired with bamboo, which is known as take no tora, or 'tiger in bamboo', and has many different interpretations; the tiger has a strong nature, is flexible and resilient like the bamboo, but it is also said that the strong tiger is looking for shelter underneath the bamboo, as any earthly power is inferior to the forces of nature. Moreover, the tiger and bamboo represent the power of faith in Buddhism.
Literate comparison:
Compare a related saddle, dated ca. 1700, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 32.163.1a.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related saddle, dated to the 18th century, at Christie's, 10 November 2004, London, lot 69 (
sold for 4,183 GBP
).