| Peony is said to be the king of flowers because of its beauty and nobility, and is also an auspicious flower that represents immortality and longevity. Sacred lion maintain their invincibility by bathing in the night dew that drips from the peony flower, in order to suppress the insects that parasitize their bodies and threaten their lives. Butterflies also grow from eggs to larvae, and then from cocoons to emerge as butterflies. Metamorphosis is an auspicious symbol that evokes rebirth and revival. This work, which combines a peony with a lion and butterfly, can be said to be an invincible and auspicious image. The metal artist, Masamitsu [正光], was Ichiryusai Masamitsu [一流斎正光], a master craftsman representing Aizu at the end of the Edo period. Masamitsu's style seems in the Edo Ishiguro style, and he is thought to have studied Ishiguro Masatsune [石黒政常]. Landscapes, animal and plant images were faithfully depicted using techniques such as elaborate taka-bori, sukidashi-bori carving and iroe, zogan techniques. It has passed the Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu shinsa in 2025. |
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