HAYASHI HARUSADA: A MONUMENTAL (234 CM) PARCEL-GILT BRONZE ‘RYUJIN AND DRAGONS’ EXHIBITION KORO (INCENSE BURNER)

By Hayashi Harusada, sealed Hayashi Harusada seizo
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)

Superbly executed and of monumental scale, the koro is composed of multiple separately cast elements and richly embellished with parcel gilding. The central baluster-form body is supported on a spreading, tiered foot, itself resting on a dramatic group of male guardian figures with flowing, flame-like hair, seated cross-legged atop rugged rock formations. The entire structure is elevated on a large circular pedestal with elegantly curved supports, finely ornamented with crashing waves and water dragons with baku-like snouts.

The sides of the vessel are fitted with imposing handles in the form of ferocious dragons, their sinuous, scaly bodies rendered with remarkable precision and vitality. The cover is surmounted by an elaborate figural group depicting the Dragon King of the Sea, Ryujin, standing beside his subject, accompanied by a superbly cast dragon rising above them, while Ryujin presents the sacred jewel controlling the tides.

The exterior of the body is richly decorated with opposing panels in varying degrees of relief. One side depicts majestic peacocks amid blossoming chrysanthemums with sparrows in flight, the details heightened with extensive gilding. The other presents a lively and charming scene of boys at play, feeding cranes and engaging with puppies, observed by a Chinese dignitary beneath luxuriant gilt-decorated pine and cherry trees. The underside is sealed HAYASHI HARUSADA seizo [made by Hayashi Harusada].

Provenance: From an Italian private collection, the same collection as the second monumental incense burner in the sale, lot 3.
Condition: Excellent condition with only minor surface wear, expected casting-inherent irregularities, and minimal traces of usage.

HEIGHT 234 cm (total)
WEIGHT 160 kg (total)

With the restoration of Emperor Meiji and the opening of Japan to international trade, the country began to participate actively in world’s fairs and international exhibitions across Europe and beyond, promoting the excellence of its artistic and industrial production. Following the success of the Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, such events were held at regular intervals in major cities worldwide and played a crucial role politically and culturally, fostering trade, strengthening international relations, and showcasing technical innovation and artistic achievement.

Among the most celebrated categories of export art were large-scale bronze works, particularly monumental koro (incense burners), conceived as complex, multi-part compositions intended to impress both technically and visually. Leading metalworkers such as Suzuki Chokichi and Suzuki Masayoshi are well documented as having produced such works for exhibition at international expositions.

Although comparatively little is recorded about Hayashi Harusada, the existence of monumental and technically ambitious works bearing his signature strongly indicates that he operated within this same sphere of high-level metal production. In particular, the monumental koro preserved in the Nasser D. Khalili Collections (acc. no. MX 66), measuring over four metres in height, provides compelling evidence of a workshop capable of producing objects on a scale consistent with international exhibition display.

Works of this magnitude – characterized by their exceptional size, complex casting, and elaborate decorative programs – are unlikely to have been intended for domestic use and instead align closely with the exhibition pieces produced by the foremost artists of the period. The present koro, remarkable for both their scale and refinement, should therefore be understood within this broader context of Meiji-period exhibition art.

Such monumental bronze censers attracted considerable attention from Western collectors and dealers, among them Siegfried Bing, who played a key role in introducing Japanese art to Europe. In 1881, Bing sold an important Japanese koro to the Victoria and Albert Museum for the substantial sum of £1,586, an acquisition of such significance that it required special authorization from the British Treasury.

Auction comparison:
Compare a closely related patinated-bronze exhibition koro (incense burner), by Suzuki Masayoshi, Meiji period, late 19th century, 297.3 cm high, at Bonhams, Asian Decorative Arts, San Francisco, 18 December 2013, lot 6057 (sold for USD 37,500 or approx. EUR 45,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Compare a closely related patinated-bronze exhibition koro (incense burner), Meiji period, late 19th century, 159 cm high, at Christie’s, The Collector, London, 12 November 2020, lot 255 (sold for GBP 31,250 or approx. EUR 46,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).

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