Newport #40 Japanese Rare Antique Stone Inari Fox Kitsune, Fushimi Shrine Kyoto, 21″h
$12,500.00
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Rarely offered with such an impressive provenance
Japanese fine large scale hand carved granite stone kami god, Inari fox kitsune carved by an expert Japanese carver, Meiji period, circa 1900.
Wonderful sinuous carving with a superb original old lichen patina from appropriate age.
Provenance: Fushimi Shrine Kyoto (photo)
The Inari fox signifies prosperity and good fortune. This rare early survivor is seated with ears alert on its haunches with chest forward and body raised on front feet with its curling, bushy tail and the whole is set onto an integral rectangular base. Our fox holds a sacred wish granting jewel in its mouth and promises good fortune and prosperity to all who enter the shrine. Foxes typically stand guard outside and under protected entrances to Japanese shrines sacred to Inari, Kami deities of rice, fertility, and agriculture.
Dimensions: 21 inches tall and 11 inches wide
Photographed indoors and out of doors for your viewing pleasure.
History of Fushimi Shrine Kyoto
Fushimi Inari Shrine (??????, Fushimi Inari Taisha) is an important Shinto shrine in southern Kyoto. It is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, which straddle a network of trails behind its main buildings… Foxes are thought to be Inari’s messengers, resulting in many fox statues across the shrine grounds.
Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox. Foxes are a common subject of Japanese folklore; in English, kitsune refers to them in this context. Stories depict them as intelligent beings and as possessing magical abilities that increase with their age and wisdom. According to Yo¯kai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shape shift into men or women. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others as foxes in folklore often do other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, lovers and wives.
Foxes and human beings lived close together in ancient Japan; this companionship gave rise to legends about the creatures. Kitsune have become closely associated with Inari, a Shinto kami or spirit and serve as its messengers. This role has reinforced the fox’s supernatural significance. The more tails a kitsune has they may have as many as nine the older, wiser and more powerful it is. Because of their potential power and influence, some people make offerings to them as to a Shinto deity.
Lifetime guarantee of authenticity: All of our Asian works of art come with our Lifetime Authenticity Guarantee.
Our gallery based in Newport, Rhode Island USA has been dealing in authentic Pre-Columbian, Japanese and fine Asian art, garden ornaments, lanterns and water basins for 25 years. Our president personally travels across America as well as Japan and Europe each year to meet his network partners who assist him in finding best examples. He personally inspects each antique work of art to ensure its old age, authenticity and quality condition.
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