Antique Japanese Bronze Incense Burner(Koro) in the Form of a Hawk. Traces of Lacquer. Meiji Period.

12.5”l x 6”w x 11”h

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The earliest mention of “hawking” in Japan dates back to 650 BC. Originally introduced from China, the training of hawks for hunting became an important sport for the warrior elite class and nobility of feudal Japan. Large hunting parties, including highly skilled falconers would travel the country as an expression of the feudal lord’s political and military authority. The art of falconry, (Takagari - 鷹狩) reached its peak in the 17th c. under the Tokugawa Shogunate and continued until the Meiji Restoration in the mid 1800’s. As a popular status symbol of bravery and strength, their imagery was frequently commissioned by Samurai to be depicted in many poetic works, paintings, and decorative arts.