Japan, Edo period (1615-1868)
Each finely carved from wood, seated on its haunches, the flaming tail rising upwards, the head with fierce expression, large bulging, and scrolling mane. One lion with a horn and closed mouth, uttering the syllable ‘um’, the other without the horn and with the mouth open, uttering the syllable ‘ah’.
HEIGHT 35 cm and 42 cm
Condition: Worn condition as is to be expected with a figure of this age. With some cracks throughout as well as scattered losses and overall wear. The polychrome pigments are largely worn.
Male and female pairs of shishi guard the approaches to the holy enclosures of Shinto shrines. They are usually known as komainu (literally ‘dogs of Koma’ – Koma meaning Kokuryo, one of the three countries of ancient Korea). The lion not being indigenous to Asia, the concept of the shishi was probably originally introduced to Japan through China and Korea via India from the Middle East. They are found in Shinto shrines from the late Heian period onwards standing to the left and right of a pathway or entrance. That on the right has an open mouth, and that on the left has a closed mouth said to signify the universal sounds ‘ah’ and ‘um’ – the beginning and the end.
Museum comparison:
Compare a related pair of komainu, dated c. 1450, each 39.4 cm high, in the Indianapolis Museum of Art, accession number 2006.71.1-.2.
Auction comparison:
A related pair of wooden komainu, but dating to the Muromachi period, was sold in these rooms during the Fine Japanese Art auction on June 16, 2023, lot 46, sold for EUR 16,900.
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