Gillers Antiques Ltd has dated this Hirado Porcelain Horse Figurine to the 1870s.
The mane, tail and musculature are defined with delicate incised detail, while the eyes and nostrils are picked out in a light iron-brown pigment beneath the glaze, a technique characteristic of Hirado animal sculpture. The unglazed base reveals the warm ivory tone of the biscuit porcelain with faint firing marks typical of Mikawachi kiln supports.
This sculptural style reflects the refined aesthetic associated with the Hirado domain, where porcelain production catered to elite patronage. The horse (uma) held particular significance in Japanese culture as a divine messenger in Shinto belief and as a symbol of loyalty and noble spirit within samurai tradition. Comparable examples are preserved in the Kyushu Ceramic Museum (Shibata Collection) and the Victoria & Albert Museum, and similar pieces have appeared in the Japanese and Korean Art sales at Christie’s.
Measurements
Height: 13 cm
Width (nose to tail): 15.5 cm
Depth: 9 cm
Weight: 218 g
Condition
One professional restoration to the right foreleg, carried out to a high aesthetic and structural standard and scarcely visible in normal display. A small, stable tension hairline is present at the junction of the right haunch and body, a characteristic feature of hollow Hirado figural porcelains and secure in situ. Otherwise excellent condition, with no further cracks, losses or restoration. The glaze remains clear and well preserved, and the sculptural detailing is crisp and finely maintained.
This is an elegant and well-balanced example of Hirado porcelain sculpture, appealing equally to collectors of Japanese decorative arts and those seeking refined, understated objects for interior display.
Gillers Antiques Ltd has dated this Hirado Porcelain Horse Figurine to the 1870s.
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Hirado Porcelain Recumbent Horse, Mikawachi Kilns, Late Edo to Early Meiji (C. 1850–1880)
