Japanese Bronze Genryusai SEIYA - A Tiger And Its Cub

A bronze sculpture from the Meiji period (1868-1912) depicting a tiger and its cub drinking at the edge of a rocky riverbank. The finely modeled composition captures both the protective authority of the adult and the natural vulnerability of the cub.

Particular attention is paid to the treatment of the fur, delicately chiseled and enhanced by a rich, nuanced patina with warm variations in tone, lending depth and realism to the surface.

The sculpture is signed Dai Nihon Genry?sai Seiya sei. The use of "Dai Nihon," meaning Great Japan—a designation associated with the imperial period—indicates a work created at the height of Japan's artistic confidence and international ambitions during the Meiji era (circa 1890). Genry?sai Seiya was a master craftsman who headed a workshop specializing in the production of high-quality export objects during the Meiji era.

His output included genre figures, vases, and bronze models of exotic animals, works that demonstrated technical excellence and a keen sense of naturalistic observation. His animal subjects were likely influenced by the growing public interest in zoology following the opening of Ueno Zoo in Tokyo in 1882, which provided artists with direct access to previously unknown species. Created primarily for the Western market, Seiya's bronzes exemplify the refined craftsmanship and expressive realism that made Meiji-era Japanese metalwork an international benchmark.