A Meiji period bronze elephant by Genryusai Seiya

A Meiji period bronze elephant by Genryusai Seiya, the powerful animal striding forward with trunk raised, the insides of the ears, trunk and tusks patinated reddish brown, on a rootwood base, signed in a seal 源龍斎誠谷造　Genryusai Seiya zo [Made by Genryusai Seiya].  Japanese, circa 1890.

Footnote: Genryusai Seiya was the master craftsman in charge of a workshop which specialized in export wares of the highest quality.  Production included human genre figures, vases and exotic bronze models of animals probably influenced by the opening of Tokyo Zoological Gardens in 1882.