Kyoto ware dish

Object Details

• Description

  Dish: five-petalled flower form; low five pointed foot. Shape of Chinese bellflower (kikkyo [Jpn]).

  Clay: hard, dense, buff Kyoto pottery.

  Glaze: green enamel edge, black; plum blossom ornament, red iron wash.

  Decoration: molded in the paste under glaze; appliqué rosette in high relief, unglazed.

• Inscriptions

  The small ceramic plates F1907.528-532 were purchased as a set that had been put together in Japan. On the interior of the lid for the box that contained them was the following inscription:

  Toriawase mukozuke sara [Jpn] "Assembled side dish plates" followed by identification of the five plates. This plate was identified as:

  Kochi yaki kikkyo-gata [Jpn] "Kochi ware bell-flower shape"

• Provenance

  Kato family, Japan [1]

  To 1907

  Unidentified owner, Japan, to 1907 [2]

  From 1907 to 1919

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased in Japan from an unidentified owner in 1907 [3]

  From 1920

  Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [4]

  Notes:

  [1] According to Curatorial Remark 7, L.A. Cort, 1982, in the object record (and quoting from the "Boxed In" exhibition label): "The lid of the box containing this charming mixed set of five small plates relates that they were assembled by one Kato, possibly as early as the 18th century, and treasured by his heirs." That inscription states that this object was "One of the treasures of the Kato house" (see Curatorial Remark 5, L.A. Cort, 1982, in the object record).

  [2] See Original Pottery List, L. 1580, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

  [3] See note 2.

  [4] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Dinner for Five: Japanese Serving Dishes for Elegant Meals (March 4 to October 21, 2001)

  Boxed In: Japanese Ceramics and Their Storage Boxes (September 23, 1982 to February 17, 1983)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Kato Family

  Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

• Origin

  Kyoto, Kyoto prefecture, Japan

• Credit Line

  Gift of Charles Lang Freer

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

  The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1700s, 1710s, 1720s, 1900s, 1770s, 1780s, 1790s, 1730s, 1740s, 1750s, 1760s, 1800s, 1810s, 1820s, 1830s, 1610s, 1650s, 1640s, 1630s, 1620s, 1690s, 1840s, 1680s, 1850s, 1670s, 1860s, 1660s

• Name

  Freer, Charles Lang, Kato Family

• Place

  Kyoto, Japan, Kyoto prefecture

• Topic

  Charles Lang Freer collection, Art, Stoneware, Kyoto ware, Edo period, Japan, (1600 - 1868), Japanese Art, Ceramics, Flowers

• Culture

  Japanese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)