An impressive beautiful Japanese Meiji period (1868-1912) Satsuma porcelain covered vase or urn. The lidded jar is richly decorated with enamel and hand-painted Lohan scenes with gilt accents and has upturned handles and a lid with a Foo dog or dragon figural finial. The urn is raised on three shaped legs with animal heads joined to the body and terminating in paw feet. There is an old faded artist's signature on the interior edge of the lid.
About:
Mahayana Buddhism regarded a group of Eighteen Arhats (with different names and personalities) as awaiting the return of the Buddha as Maitreya. Other groupings of six, eight, sixteen, hundred, and five hundred characters appear in tradition and Buddhist art, especially in East Asia, and are called luohan or lohan. One can see them as the Buddhist equivalents of the Christian saint, apostles, or early disciples and leaders of the faith.
(Credit: Wikipedia)
Important Antique Japanese Meiji Satsuma Covered Urn Vase with Foo Dog
late 19th century