Vase - Hōō

Vase - Hōō

Japan, late 20th century.

Cloisonné decorated brass. About 150mm x 70mm in size.

A very beautiful, aged and elaborately decorated Cloisonné vase with two dragons and two phoenixes circling the sides. Flower and ornament motifs are repeated in skillfully executed panels. Cloisonné (French: émail cloisonné) means coating and decorating metal objects with enamel. With the cloisonné technique, the contours of the patterns are soldered to the base from metal wire. After that, the network made of metal wires is filled with enamel and glazing fields of different colors. Cloisonné came into common use in Europe in the 4th century, and it reached its peak in the 9th–12th centuries in Byzantium. In China, the heyday of cellular enameling was in the 14th–18th centuries and in Japan in the 17th–18th centuries.

Symbol meaning

The Asian mythical Phoenix bird (Chinese: Fèng Huáng or Feng Huang) should not be confused with its Egyptian or Greek namesake. In China, the phoenix represents the yin and yang that make up the existence of the entire universe. Therefore, the bird was also a metaphor for marriage. The phoenix, known there as Hōō (also ho-o), arrived in Japan from ancient China, probably during the Asuka period, around the middle of the 6th century. This mythical bird represents fire, the sun, justice, obedience, loyalty and the constellations of the southern skies. In Chinese mythology, the dragon (long tai lung) has played a significant role for millennia. The earliest creature depicting a dragon is known from China around 2000 BC. from the clay vessel from which it originates. A wingless reptile with a large head, long body and two legs with sharp claws. The dragon deity (Lung wang) is very similar to the Indian naga, but in China it soon took on its own unique appearance. The dragon symbolizes strong and favorable forces, and especially the control of water, rains and floods. The dragon is also a symbol of strength and luck. In the Chinese horoscope, those born in the year of the dragon are energetic, honest, healthy and powerful. They are also very sensitive, brave and stubborn.

Note! The vase is an old piece that has been in use, so age-related wear and small scratches may occur.