Lot 3810
3810
An iron articulated sculpture of a snake
An iron articulated sculpture of a snake

Edo period (19th century), signed Katsuharu zo (made by Myochin Katsuharu; act. 19th century)

Details
An iron articulated sculpture of a snake
Edo period (19th century), signed Katsuharu zo (made by Myochin Katsuharu; act. 19th century)
The russet-iron snake constructed of numerous hammered plates jointed inside the body, the head incised with scales and fitted with a hinged jaw opening to reveal a movable tongue, gilt eyes; signature on underside of jaw
55 1/8 in. (140 cm.) long
Literature
Kuo Hong-Sheng and Chang Yuan-Feng, chief eds., et al., Meiji no bi / Splendid Beauty: Illustrious Crafts of the Meiji Period (Taipei: National Taiwan Normal University Research Center for Conservation of Cultural Relics, 2013), pp. 336-339.

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Lot Essay

Myochin-school artists in Echizen Province were renowned for their outstanding skill at forging and tempering steel. Myochin Katsuharu (act. 19th century), whose name appears on the snake here, was one of the Echizen Myochin artists. The amazing flexibility and fine patina of this work show the skillful techniques of Katsuharu.

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