Fine Meiji Period Japanese Silver Art Nouveau Photo Frame

This Japanese silver frame encapsulates the era it was made in perfectly.

Dated 1880-1900, this Meiji period piece perfectly blends classic Japanese motifs with Art Nouveau design- the height of modernity back then. The Meiji period is noted in Japan to be a period of modernisation and social upheaval, similar to socio-industrial trends occurring in England during the overlapping Victorian Era.

It was due to these domestic changes that the hitherto reclusive Chrysanthemum Kingdom opened up to the West, ushering in a whole new movement of naturalism and beauty. Japanese silver was some of the highest purity in the world, with silversmiths generally coming from the samurai class. The almost deification of art in Japanese culture meant that such work was incredibly rarefied. During the Meiji period, Japanese silver and craftsmen were incredibly in demand from then retailers such as Cartier, Tiffany, Arthur & Bond etc. 

The high end nature of this piece can be seen in its specific depiction of a Japanese summer. Attention was meticulously paid to ensure only classical seasonal motifs were chosen- stylised morning glories, bamboo shoots and a green mountain pheasant have been used by Japanese artists and poets to describe summer for centuries. 

The stylised morning glories and bamboo in particular, with their leaves framing the picture glass, add a uniquely Japanese twist to the Art Nouveau trend. All these details would have been done by hand, using an array of techniques such as repousse- the sensuous curves and 3 dimensional nature of this method lending itself particularly well to Art Nouveau. 

Not to mention the craftsmanship- at 118 grams of high grade silver this piece is collectible and valuable in every aspect.