Tetsubin (teapot) zoomorphic (Tanuki). Japan, XIX century.

Tetsubin (teapot) zoomorphic (Tanuki). Japan, XIX century.
In iron.
Measurements: 21 x 22 cm.

Iron tetsubin (Japanese teapot) whose zoomorphic design evokes Tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog). This type of objects, besides being functional, had a marked playful and symbolic character, combining the Japanese metallurgical tradition with the taste for animated forms typical of the Edo period.

This iconography makes direct reference to the famous Japanese legend Bunbuku Chagama, which literally means "the teapot that spreads happiness". According to the myth, a Tanuki transforms into a teapot to help a poor man who rescued him from a trap.