EDO PERIOD (18TH-19TH CENTURY), SIGNED MUNEMITSU (MYOCHIN MUNEMITSU)

Details

AN IRON ARTICULATED SCULPTURE OF A DRAGON
EDO PERIOD (18TH-19TH CENTURY), SIGNED MUNEMITSU (MYOCHIN MUNEMITSU)
The iron dragon finely constructed of numerous hammered plates jointed inside the body; the hinged jaw opening to reveal a movable tongue, ears, limbs and claws move, the body bends, the head is applied with elaborate horns, spines and hinged movable whiskers, the tail of the dragon entwining a double-edged gilt kurikaraken (sword), the details are finely carved and chiseled, the eyes of shakudo embellished with gilt; signature on underside of neck
17 3⁄8 in. (44.1 cm.) long

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Lot Essay

The dragon is associated with Buddhism, Shinto and a wealth of legends as a harbinger of fertility, bliss and imperial power. The Dragon King of the Sea lives in a palace in the depth of the ocean from which he controls the weather and tides. The dragon is often described to be the most powerful mythical creature. In esoteric Buddhism, the dragon and double-edged sword, entwined together as the kurikara, symbolize the spiritual lasso and sword of the deity Fudo Myoo (Sanskrit, Acala "The Immovable One"), in Japanese especially revered by the samurai. The dragon is an imperial symbol and foremost of the four divine animals.
According to Harada Kazutoshi, there are only 2 articulated sculptures by Myochin Munemitsu are known to exist including the small dragon offered here. For another sculpture of mythical beast (shachi) by the artist in the collection of British Museum, see Harada Kazutoshi, ed., Jizai okimono / Articulated Iron Figures of Animals, vol. 11 of Bessatsu Rokusho (Kyoto: Maria Shobo Co., Ltd., 2010), pl. 16.

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