Beschreibung:

Oriental: A pair of rare bronze cranes Japanese^ Meiji Period (1868-1912) each supporting candelabra and standing on stylised terrapins 168cm.; 66ins highJapanese Gardens have intrigued and stimulated the West since the Portuguese and Spanish first visited Japan in the mid 16th Century. The Universal Exhibition in London in 1862 followed by the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1867 saw an explosion of interest in all things Japanese. The most influential writer on Japanese gardens was undoubtedly Josiah Conder^ who first went to Japan in 1876^ having previously worked for the great Victorian architect William Burges In 1893 his book Landscape Gardening in Japan was published in England and swiftly became the seminal book on garden design. In 1910 the Japan-British Exhibition opened in London^ held at the White City ground near Shepherds Bush and included two Japanese Gardens spread over 10^000 square yards. Granite Kasuge lanterns and bronze cranes were especially popular. The Red-crowned Crane (Grus japonensis) is the second rarest crane in the world and is known as the Tancho. In legend it is believed to live for a thousand years^ revered throughout the East as a symbol of peace^ good fortune^ longevity and fidelity. Unusually^ this pair also stand on mythical turtles and are extremely good castings with each feather individually delineated. The removable candelabrae in their mouths make them suitable for use both indoors or in a garden.