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At A Glance

  • Period

    1670-1690
  • Geography

    Arita, Saga prefecture, Japan
  • Material

    Porcelain with cobalt pigment under clear colorless glaze
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 23.6 x 19.3 x 19.3 cm (9 5/16 x 7 5/8 x 7 5/8 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1977.13
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1977.13

Object Details

  • Description

    Jar: ovoid, short straight neck, probably had a cover. Arita ware, export type.
    Clay: white porcelain, some slight orange tint of oxidization at glaze margins.
    Glaze: clear porcelain glaze, medium gloss, all over except top edge, inside mouth and edge of foot-rim.
    Decoration: painted in underglaze cobalt blue with figures in landscape. Neck: band of pointed overlapping petals. Main zone: Chinese figures, man in tricorne headdress with banner (?) and woman; banana leaves, "bottle-brush" trees, balustrade, rocks, clouds, lush exotic vegetation, a gnome-like figure. The figures and the landscape give a fantasy-world impression. The style is sketchy, in outline and wash, and decoratively treated in terms of scale and detail. Band at base: plain with three spaced, sketchily drawn plant motifs.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Summer Whites: Japanese Porcelain (July 1, 1983 to March 15, 1984)
    Japanese Ceramics (June 22, 1982 to September 27, 1982)
    Japanese Ceramics/Puppets (June 16, 1980 to July 14, 1980)
    Japanese Ceramics (July 15, 1980 to June 21, 1982)
    Japanese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to January 17, 1980)
  • Origin

    Arita, Saga prefecture, Japan
  • Credit Line

    Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
  • 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.

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