Samurai Kusunoki Masashige

A MAGNIFICENT LARGE RARE DARK COPPER BRONZE FIGURINE OF THE SAMURAI WARRIOR KUSUNOKI ASTRIDE HIS HORSE.

KUSUNOKI MASASHIGE
"WOULD THAT I HAD SEVEN LIVES TO GIVE FOR MY COUNTRY!"
七生報國; Shichishō Hōkoku!.

Dressed in partial armour a riding whip in his right hand, rein held in the left, sleeves flowing. His mount with head turning to the left. his horse. An outstanding impressive fine detailed casting . The copper bronze of near black colour.

This outstanding large casting, was made by one of the Masters of Takaoka. @ 60 years old.
AN IMPRESSIVE OUTSTANDING RARE CENTREPIECE

Kusunoki Masashige (楠木 正成, 1294 – 4 July 1336) was a Japanese samurai of the Kamakura period remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty.
Kusunoki fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in the Genkō War to overthrow the Kamakura shogunate and restore power in Japan to the Imperial Court. Kusunoki was a leading figure of the Kenmu Restoration in 1333 and remained loyal to the unpopular Emperor Go-Daigo after Ashikaga Takauji began to reverse the restoration in the Nanboku-chō wars three years later.
Kusunoki attacked Takauji in Settsu at the command of the Emperor, an act of obedience surely to result in defeat, he died at the Battle of Minatogawa in 1336.
Kusunoki became a popular legend in Japan representing loyalty and virtue, and associated with the phrase "Would that I had seven lives to give for my country!" (七生報國; "Shichishō Hōkoku!").

Kusunoki was posthumously awarded the highest court rank in Japan, shō ichi-i, by the Meiji government in 1880, over 500 years after his death.

Refer Large Images for details, quality and condition.

NOTE: Colour may vary to actual depending of your viewing platform, laptop, desktop, ipad, phone etc.......

Condition: Excellent for age some rubbing
Length about 34 cm
Height about : 34 cm
Width about: 14cm
Weight about 4.6 kg
A$850