Patinated bronze vase with relief decoration

Japanese bronze vase with a patinated relief decoration of cranes and a lakeside landscape – Meiji period (1868-1912) Important dark brown patinated bronze vase, baluster-shaped with a flared neck, richly adorned with applied relief decorations. The decoration depicts cranes in flight and at rest, set in an aquatic landscape with vegetation, treated with a beautiful sense of movement and detail. The cranes, symbols of longevity and happiness in Japan, are rendered here with a fine quality of chiselling and modelling. The base bears a moulded Japanese seal, attesting to a workshop production from the Meiji period. Dimensions: Height: 36 cm Width: 18 cm Depth: 36 cm Condition: Generally good condition: beautiful old patina, some minor wear and rubbing, slight surface irregularities (from manufacturing and age) Analysis & attribution: Typical work of Japanese bronze Naturalistic applied relief decoration (late 19th-century technique) Workshop seal Influence of pieces intended for the Western market (Japonisme).