A Japanese Hanging Lantern, circa 1910

Of hexagonal form and richly worked in copper, this exceptional and large lantern exemplifies the early 20th-century Japanese Arts & Crafts movement, in which traditional metalworking techniques were reinterpreted with a modern, sculptural sensibility. Each pierced panel is meticulously hand-cut with scrolling foliage and stylised botanical motifs, centring on a shield-like form that evokes the chrysanthemum and other imperial garden emblems. The wrought framework is further embellished with recessed roundels and rivet-head bosses—details that celebrate construction as ornament, a hallmark of the movement.

The crown is encircled by an arresting gallery of petal-shaped cartouches, repoussé-decorated with concentric lotus buds, creating a rhythmic silhouette that blooms outward when viewed from below. Suspended from its original chain and hook, the lantern demonstrates a masterly integration of structure and decoration: every surface is animated by handwork, yet the overall geometry remains poised and architectural.

Whether illuminated or at rest, the piece possesses a warm, patinated glow and an unmistakably meditative presence. It speaks to the refined aesthetic of a moment in Japan when craftsmanship, symbolism and modern design converged—bridging the artisanal beauty of the Meiji era with the emerging international language of Arts & Crafts. An unusually sculptural and poetic example of its type, highly desirable for collectors of Japanese metalwork and early modern decorative arts alike.