Yokaï Kappa - Bronze By Jiichi Kome (1899-1989) - Circa 1930-50 #589

Bronze with a gray-green patina – oxidized from being outdoors. Wear and tear – 5.3 kg. The kappa is a demon with the appearance of an anthropomorphic turtle. Kappas live near rivers, lakes, and ponds. In ancient Japan, they were known to devour children. More recently, they have become mischievous spirits… Despite its demonic aspect, the kappa is venerated in shrines. The kappa is seen as a kind of nature spirit. It represents the dangers of rivers, ponds, and the sea. This piece is by the sculptor Jiichi Kome – a variant of a monument he erected in Takaoka (see the last photo in the slideshow). He graduated from the Tokyo University of the Arts in 1919. He settled in Takaoka in 1921, where he spent his entire career, working tirelessly and creating more than a thousand models. Between 1921 and 1939 he received several commissions from the Regent-Emperor (busts, monument, decorations for the imperial palace). A certificate and an illustrated biography of the artist will be given to the buyer.