A STONE CARP WITH TRACES OF LACQUERJapan, Edo period16 x 67 x 14 cmProvenance: Italian private collection.The carp (鯉, koi) is a fish that in Japan takes on various symbolic meanings of good omen, such as luck, happiness and wealth. It is also an emblem of perseverance since, according to a well-known legend of Chinese origins, it was able to swim upstream along the river until it reached the Dragon's Gate, thus finally managing to obtain immortality.