| The peony is regarded as noble and beautiful, known as the “king of flowers,” and is an auspicious motif symbolizing longevity and eternal youth. The lion (shishi), in order to suppress the “insect within its own body” (a metaphor for an internal threat that endangers its life), bathes in the night dew dripping from peony blossoms, thereby maintaining its invincibility.This piece depicts an auspicious and invincible composition of peonies and a lion, rendered with gold inlay (suemon). The lion is expressed with a high relief in gold, while the peonies are rendered more delicately and shallowly. Judging from the form of the lion, it is not attributed to the Goto school, yet it is not a mass-acquired or generic piece.Possibly due to the thin application of gold on the reverse (uragane), it was attributed to a Kyo-kanagushi artisan and passed the Hozon shinsa in November 2025. |
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