Trumpet-mouthed Vases, 1860-1865
Made in Nagoya, Japan, these two cloisonné enamelled vases used to be on display in the Japanese Drawing Room at the Royal Bath Hotel in 1887, as seen in the photograph in Merton’s autobiography Home and Abroad.
Each vase features a taka (hawk) which are revered in Japanese culture as a symbol of strength, power, nobility, and protection. The taka is considered the king of birds in Japan and was especially revered by Japanese warriors. Visually striking images of warriors hunting hawks is a typical pattern in Japanese art.
