Canakkale Lamp 20th Ito Hirobumi

An anthropomorphic gas lamp from Çanakkale (early 20th century). Red earthenware with a brown glaze and decorations painted in red, white, and yellow over the glaze. The lamp probably depicts the Prince Itō Hirobumi (1841-1909), four time Prime Minister of Japan, dressed in General’s uniform. Following the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05), Japan occupied Korea, and Itō Hirobumi became the first Resident General of Korea. Itō who had opposed an annexation of Korea, was assassinated in 1909 by a Korean nationalist while on a trip to Harbin (Manchuria). His assassination is believed to have accelerated the path to the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910. Another unique piece of the varied and endless Çanakkale’s production, which combines pottery with history (private collection, Athens Greece).