Pair of cloisonné vases

Japan
Meiji period, 1868-1912
Height 35 cm each
Damaged

Magnificent pair of vases, each with a samurai in a panel. One of the warriors on a wild ride is barely able to tame his horse and appears to be about to fall, the other on foot, splendidly armed, in front of a flag. On the reverse of each panel is another panel with peonies, the rest of the surface decorated with ornamental flowers and birds.
The inside is glazed light blue, whereby the glaze is irregular and not opaque due to the particular size of the vases. The production of such large cloisonné works was a technological tour de force, as evidenced by the glaze flaws on the inside and the somewhat distorted overall shapes. The fact that the depictions are nevertheless flawlessly executed testifies to the great technological skill of the artists.
At the time these vases were created, the Meiji government had just replaced the samurai warriors with a more contemporary army. The depictions therefore also reflect a certain melancholy, even if only for export.
A few of the silver bars are missing, but no significant damage to the enamel.