A SERVING DISH (SHAKUZARA) WITH THE ATTRIBUTES OF THE SEVEN GODS OF GOOD FORTUNE (TAKARAMONO)
Hizen ware, Nabeshima type: porcelain with underglaze blue and celadon
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), ca. 1680
12⅞ in. (32.8 cm) diameter
[CC743-02]
Nabeshima wares were made only for domestic consumption, and for presentation purposes rather than for actual use. Most famous are the dishes, which were produced in three basic sizes, the two smaller ones in sets of twenty or thirty, with a single larger serving dish to match. This is an example of the largest type. With occasional variants, these dishes were decorated in three ways: underglaze blue and white; underglaze blue and white with celadon glaze; and underglaze blue and colored enamels. Celadon wares were also made, but not in the same quantities. Great efforts were expended on quality control and many dishes were fired and discarded as substandard. The designs were outlined in underglaze blue and then repainted in over-glaze colored enamels and iron-red, in an imitation of Chinese doucai (joined colors) wares first developed in the fifteenth century. The dishes were for official use of the Nabeshima daimyo and their retainers, or for presentation to the Tokugawa shogunate, and could not be commercially bought and sold during the Edo period (1615−1867).
Hizen ware, aode-Kokutani type; porcelain with over-glaze enamels
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), ca. 1650
14½ in. (36.5 cm) diameter
[BB498-01]
Kokutani (Old Kutani), Japan’s earliest enameled porcelain, is prized for its rich, dark colors and for its bold designs, no two of them alike. Examples using luminescent green enamel, such as this one, are a coveted group known as aode (blue or green) Kokutani. The bowl is decorated with a design two large confronted stylized peonies, the blooms in a rare, thick blue glaze, the leaves in a rich, translucent green which somewhat obscures the under-drawing. The exterior is decorated with three stylized fan and ribbon motifs and within the foot is an auspicious fuku (fortune) mark in a square covered with green enamel.
The sensuous decoration of aode Kokutani is notably unlike the restrained, linear patterns on later seventeenth century Nabeshima and Kakiemon wares from nearby kilns in and near the porcelain center of Arita. Kokutani ware flourished for only a short period in the mid-seventeenth century. Sherds of this rather coarse enameled porcelain have been found at Yanbeta No. 1 and No. 4 kilns in Arita, dating to around the 1650s, and more finely potted green Kokutani, including bottles and jars intended for export to Europe, have been excavated from Yanbeta No. 3 kiln. Scholars have speculated that the immediate source of the dark palette of colors, which includes green, yellow, purple, and blue, was seventeenth century Ming-dynasty su sancai ware fired at the Zhangzhou kilns, Fujian Province. Chinese potters from this area may have traveled to Japan in the 1650s and served as advisors to the Yanbeta No. 3 kiln.
Kokutani bowls and dishes were made not only for domestic use but also for export. Their lush designs proved especially popular in Southeast Asia, echoing perhaps the tropical vegetation of the region. Later, in the early nineteenth century, the designs were revived in the village of Kutani in the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture, northeast of Kyoto.
Hizen ware, Kokutani type: porcelain with underglaze blue and overglaze colored enamels
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), ca. 1660
7½ in. (19.4 cm) high; 6½ in. (16.5 cm) diameter
[BB691-03]
Published:
Hayashiya Seizō, et al. 1975. Nihon no tōji (Encyclopedia of Japanese Ceramics), Vol. 11, Kokutani. Tokyo: Chūō Kōronsha, no. 173.
This tiered box is covered with a finely patterned background in red enamel. Wrapping across the cylindrical surface is a cloud with plum blossoms with birds and peonies with lions rendered with fine outlines and colored with painterly daubs of enamel. The lid features roundels with butterflies. This dynamic design makes this piece a fine example of Japanese enameled porcelain.
Hizen ware, early Nabeshima (Matsugatani) type; porcelain with overglaze colored enamels on a pale blue ground
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), ca. 1645
4¾ x 6⅛ in. (12.2 x 15.7 cm)
Hizen ware, early Nabeshima type: porcelain with underglaze blue and overglaze colored enamels
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), ca. 1650–60
7⅝ in. (19.3 cm) diameter
[BB696-03]
This dish is of a smaller size and shallow depth indicating its early manufacture. The chrysanthemum and floral scroll design circle the dish surface and is framed by an outline of underglaze blue filled in to the edge of the plate. The concentric arrangement of red and blue for the chrysanthemum and the vivid emerald green of the leaves makes for an eye-catching presentation. The underside features peony motifs with a chain of heart-shaped beads on the foot.
TWO PORCELAIN DISHES WITH CHERRY BLOSSOM AND CLOUD DESIGN
Hizen ware, Nabeshima type: porcelain with underglaze blue, overglaze iron-red, and colored enamels
Japan, Edo period (1615–1868), Hōei/Shōtoku eras, 1704−16
Each 8 in. (20.3 cm) diameter approx.
[BB958-01-02]
Provenance: James Alexander Scrymser (1839−1918), acquired in Japan in either 1898 or 1899, and thence by descent
This pair of dishes on a raised ring foot are decorated in underglaze blue, a pale blue wash, green and yellow enamels and iron-red, with a design of a wind-blown spray of cherry and a stylized cloud. The exterior of the dishes displays the classic Nabeshima cash and comb-tooth design: three groupings of six linked coins on the body and a comb pattern circling the raised foot. Many of the designs in Nabeshima ware were inspired by the local flora around the official Ōkawachi kiln site. Blooming cherry represents spring, renewal, and death as well as being a potent symbol for Japan itself. As such, a number of cherry blossom-themed designs for dishes are known, of which Japanese scholars consider the present pattern to be one of the most successful and representative of the mature period of Nabeshima porcelain production.1
James Scrymser, 19th century American entrepreneur who made his first fortune promoting and laying cable connections between Cuba and Florida, was the first foreign ownerof these dishes. He developed cable and later telegraph connections between Latin America and the United States, competing strongly with British companies engaged in similar business pursuits. In the autumn of 1898, he was invited by the Meiji government to visit Japan to discuss the feasibility of laying undersea cables between Japan and the West Coast of America. He returned in spring 1899. It is on this journey that he is thought to have acquired these dishes, either through purchase or possibly as an official gift. The dishes subsequently passed down through descendants from whom they were acquired.
Imaizumi Motosuke 1966. Iro Nabeshima to Matsugatani (Colored Nabeshima and Matsugatani Wares). Tokyo: Yuzankaku, pl. 109, p. 198.
FOOD DISH (MUKŌZUKE) WITH DESIGN OF CAMELLIA BLOSSOMS
Hizen ware, Nabeshima type: porcelain with underglaze blue and overglaze colored enamels
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), 17th century
2⅝ in. (6.7 cm) high
[BB708-01]
Another example of this pattern is illustrated in: Seki Kazuo. 2010. Shoki Nabeshima (Early Nabeshima). Tokyo: Soujusha Bijutsushuppan, No. 85, p. 95, and in Kudo Yoshiro. 2005. Nabeshima. Tokyo: Ribun, Co., no. 135, p. 140.
FIVE SMALL FOOD DISHES (MUKŌZUKE) WITH STYLIZED CHRYSANTHEMUM AND LAPPET BORDERS
Hizen ware, Nabeshima type: porcelain with underglaze blue decoration
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), Genroku era (1688–1704)
Each 2⅛ in. (5.5 cm) high
[BB730-01]
These small dishes are known a mukōzuke. They were made to use in the meal service which accompanies the tea ceremony. They would have been used to serve small, tasty tidbits.
Hizen ware, Nangawara kilns: porcelain with underglaze blue, iron brown, and overglaze colored enamels
Japan, Edo period, Genroku era (1688–1704)
9⅝ in. (24.5 cm) diameter
[BB710-01]
This rare dish is an unusual example of enameled porcelain covered with an iron-brown glaze. The rich depth of the glaze, combined with the vibrant polychrome enamel and underglaze blue creates a striking effect. Overlaying a cobalt scrolling vine motif on the flattened rim are yellow chrysanthemum blossoms flanked by solid green and gold-tipped leaves set against a vibrant red ground. The abundantly glazed underside with waterfall-like streaks contrasts with the smooth surface of the front, highlighting the fine artistry of this piece.
The design and palette employed on the rim suggest this dish was made at Nangawara in southwest Arita, the site of the Kakiemon kilns which produced enameled porcelains made mainly for the export market. However, the fine quality of this dish indicates it was most likely made for the domestic market and the brown glaze reflects the influence of Chinese ceramics. Only two other examples are known and are illustrated in Toguri Museum of Art, ed. 1988. Japanese Ceramics in the Toguri Collection. Tokyo: Toguri Museum of Art, no. 160, p. 117.
Hizen ware, Kakiemon type: porcelain with overglaze colored enamels
Japan, Edo period (1615−1868), 1680s
11⅝ in. (29.5 cm) high
[BB587-03]
This rare figure is decorated with the Kakiemon palette, in this case iron-red, and black, blue, green, and yellow enamels. Striding forward with a smile on his face and holding a folding fan, this stylishly dressed porcelain figure represents a male youth (wakashū) or adolescent, somewhere between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. Part of the demi-monde of Edo-period Japan, such youths were available for romantic or sexual relations with those who could afford company.
The Japanese ceramics presented in this exhibition represent porcelains made for Japan’s domestic market. These works were made in a highly competitive commercial environment for conspicuous display and for use as table ware in Japan’s kaiseki cuisine, which accompanied the tea ceremony. The discipline and high technical standards common to any Japanese artisanal industry during the Edo period ensured that these ceramics are of the finest quality.
The development of domestic Japanese porcelain occurred in concert with the great peace established by Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543–1616), the founder of modern Japan. This peace, after a century of war, quickly led to increased prosperity and literacy, and in turn to growing consumerism. Astute entrepreneurs commercialized all aspects of Japanese culture, developments that were reflected in a new, optimistic, and flamboyant hedonism.
Porcelain manufacturers worked for a highly competitive and fashion-conscious elite of samurai overlords, wealthy temples, and successful merchants. To succeed, these wares had to have bold, innovative patterns, with eye-catching imagery that was unconstrained by the design requirements of the export markets. Little known in the West, these domestic wares often serve today as exemplars of the genius of traditional Japanese design.
Kokutani, or “old Kutani” is Japan’s earliest enameled porcelain, and is distinguished by bold, innovative designs executed in rich colored enamels. No two designs are the same.
Kokutani wares were made mostly for domestic use but were also exported. Their lush designs proved especially popular in Southeast Asia, echoing perhaps the tropical vegetation of the region. Later, in the early nineteenth century, the designs were revived in the village of Kutani in the Kaga region of Ishikawa Prefecture, northeast of Kyoto.
With the demise of the Chinese Ming Dynasty in 1644, the Dutch East India Company (Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) struggled to meet the European demand for high quality Chinese porcelain, and when Japanese prototypes proved to be suitable, official trade was initiated in 1650. Kakiemon porcelain was celebrated for its palette of overglaze enamels on a distinctive milky-white background known in Japan as nigoshide. For European consumers, Kakiemon-style wares were considered luxury goods. It was a different class of porcelain that was of better quality and with stronger aesthetic appeal. While Kakiemon production was predominantly an export market, figurines and tableware were also available for domestic use, as is evidenced by excavations of daimyo dwellings in Edo and Kyoto.
Unlike other Hizen wares, as these ceramics are now known, Nabeshima porcelain, which appeared around 1650, was made only for the domestic market. At first these were made in irregular shapes and decorated with absorbing motifs for the meal that was served during the tea ceremony. Great efforts were expended on quality control, and many dishes were fired and discarded as substandard. The designs were outlined in underglaze blue and then repainted in overglaze colored enamels and iron red, in an imitation of Chinese doucai (joined colors) wares, first developed in the fifteenth century. The dishes were for presentation to the Tokugawa shogunate, or official use of the Nabeshima daimyo and their retainers and could not be bought and sold during the Edo period (1615−1867).
March 14 – 21, 2025
Asia Week Hours: Mar 14-15 & 17-21, 11am-5pm (otherwise by appointment)
We are pleased to present Japanese Prints and Paintings, 1720−1820 during Asia Week New York. The paintings and prints in this exhibition begin in the 1720s and end approximately a century later. Many of the technical developments and changes that took place during that time are covered. The most important of these, the introduction of full color printing, is represented by a fine group prints by Suzuki Harunobu, as well as examples by his contemporaries. Harunobu was a late bloomer, and the prints included here survey the last years of his life, beginning with the first print in his ground-breaking series Zashiki hakkei (Eight views of the parlor room).
The end of the 1760s saw idealized portraits of actors replaced by ones more grounded in realistic portrayal, which are represented here by fine works by Ippitsusai Bunchō and Katsukawa Shunshō. The dainty, almost doll-like figures of Harunobu, were also replaced by robust women of Kitao Shigemasa and Isoda Kōryūsai. The transition away from the dominance of Harunobu to the burgeoning influence of Shigemasa, is represented by an important painting by Shiba Kōkan of a young woman in a pastoral setting.
Interest in imported European ideas and images manifested itself in the introduction of uki-e, or “floating pictures,” which allowed landscape artists to move from traditional isometric perspective to indicate depth and volume, to single-point perspective and low picture planes. Examples by Utagawa Toyoharu and other landscapes in the exhibition indicate just how pervasive this interest was.
The golden era of the 1790s includes a very fine example of Tōshūsai Sharaku’s portrait of Segawa Kikunojō III as Ōshizu, performed in the fifth month of 1794. One of the artist’s finest portraits, this specimen has exceptionally well-preserved color, allowing the viewer insights into Sharaku’s skills as a colorist. The portrait is also complemented by four fine prints by Kitagawa Utamaro, in addition to a rare full-length portrait by Sharaku, and others by Katsukawa Shun’ei, Utagawa Toyokuni, and his student Utagawa Kunimasa.
The exhibition concludes with a fine painting by Kubo Shunman, who was a contemporary of both Utamaro and Toyokuni. Shunman was deeply involved with the literary world of his period, and his late painting of a Yoshiwara courtesan celebrating the Hassaku festival held during the summer is accompanied by a text by the noted literatus Kameda Bōsai, detailing the history of the event.
With over forty years’ experience as an auction-house specialist, appraiser, and dealer in Japanese and Korean art, I formed Sebastian Izzard LLC, a New York company, in 1998 in order to offer the kind of personal expertise, attention, and insights that are especially valuable to discriminating collectors world-wide. As a company we deal in all periods, from early to modern, the principal criterion being one of quality. Regular travel in the United States and overseas, to Japan and Europe, keeps us abreast of the international market and in touch with a global network. We welcome inquiries from clients old and new, whether prompted by an interest in the purchase or sale of works of art, in our exhibitions and catalogues, or in our appraisal and consulting services.
