A hirado ware porcelain figure of the mythical creature baku, the dream eater. This beast is a chimera with the features of an elephant, an ox, a rhinoceros and a tiger. The expert artist hand-carved every detail of the figure with fine lines, the flames and spines along its back carved in high relief. The glaring eyes are left bare with black pupils while the rest of its body is glazed white.

A similar Baku is in the Lawrence Collection, Published in:
"Hirado: Prince of Porcelains", by Louis Lawrence, "Chapter Three, Mikawachi: The Golden Era" pg. 60, published by Art Media Resources, Ltd. 1997

Meiji Period (1868-1912)

Dimensions: 8" x 4 3/4" x 3.25" H