Dish

Clay: white porcelain. Five spur marks on base.
Glaze: transparent, slightly grayish with some black specks.
Decoration: underglaze blue, a floral border, and in center, stylized pine tree leaning over a small plant. Outside, 2 stylized lotus scrolls.
Mark: Imitation 4-character Ming Ch’eng-hua mark badly written on base.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1740-1780
Medium
Porcelain with cobalt under clear, colorless glaze
Style
Arita ware
Dimensions
H x W: 7 x 37.4 cm (2 3/4 x 14 3/4 in)
Geography
Japan, Saga prefecture, Arita
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1965.17
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Dish

Keywords
Arita ware, Edo period (1615 - 1868), flower, Japan, lotus, pine tree, plant, porcelain, tree
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Description

Clay: white porcelain. Five spur marks on base.
Glaze: transparent, slightly grayish with some black specks.
Decoration: underglaze blue, a floral border, and in center, stylized pine tree leaning over a small plant. Outside, 2 stylized lotus scrolls.
Mark: Imitation 4-character Ming Ch'eng-hua mark badly written on base.

Marking(s)

Imitation Ming Ch'eng hua mark badly written on base

Label

The numerous Arita-area kilns produced various styles of enameled porcelains, but pieces decorated simply with underglaze cobalt were always the mainstay, especially for the domestic market.  The lineage of this much-simplified garden-like motif within a floral border may be traced to the large blue-and-white plates of the Chinese Yuan dynasty. The Chinese associations of the decoration are emphasized by an imitation Ming dynasty Chenghua reign (1465–1487) mark written on the base.

Published References
  • Yosuke Sera. Ko-Imari sometsuke zufu [Old Imari Blue & White Porcelain]. Kyoto. no. 81.
  • Oriental Ceramics: The World's Great Collections. 12 vols., Tokyo. vol. 10, pl. 61.
  • Ann McClellan. Bonsai and Penjing: Ambassadors of Peace & Beauty. Clarendon, Vermont. p. 78.
Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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