Description

An antique Japanese large rare Ema (votive prayer board) hand painted in Makie gold over a black lacquer background. A hand forged iron pin mounted to the top center of the frame was used to securely hang this dedication sacred object at a Japanese shrine.

Back in the day, live horses were donated and dedicated to a shrine. As the times changed, prayer boards were donated instead with painted horses replacing the live ones. More recently, all forms of subject matter are shown on the Japanese ema including different sizes and shapes making this Ema quite rare and valuable. The vertical characters at the right are奉御寶前The horizontal characters at the top (read right to left) are諸願成就Shogan jо̄ju
(Much easier to read in the printed version than the cursive!)
Shogan jо̄ju means something like “Fulfillment of wishes” The next 3 characters are read go-hōzen (or much less comnonly on-takaramae) ; an honorific form of something like “before the deity/Buddha”

Age: Late Edo/Early Meiji (1850-1870)

Dimensions: 34 1/8″ Wide by 24″ High