THE GOLDFISH

Goldfish are an integral part of ancient and popular art and culture in Japan and China. The ancestry of the Goldfish in China can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. Chinese merchants introduced Goldfish to Japan in the sixteenth century where they were popular pets for the aristocracy and the samurai. Kingyo (Japanese for Goldfish), breeding became a popular hobby over the years and Japan today hosts Goldfish competitions featuring unique strains of Goldfish developed by expert hobbyists belonging to various Goldfish clubs.

The Chinese consider Goldfish to be a symbol of good fortune, material progress and wealth. They have long been considered a very auspicious Feng Shui symbol for surplus and abundance. It is not surprising that Goldfish iconography has become an integral feature of Chinese art and design.

AP Limited Editions presents The Goldfish, in the artistic tradition of the Palekh School of Art, celebrating the iconography of this popular fish and all the abundance and good fortune it represents.