Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Imari 1690-1800 - 'Gold' Imari - Page 2

Object 2012110

Dish

Japan

1700-1720

Height 34 mm (1.33 inch), diameter of rim 216 mm (8.50 inch), diameter of footring 109 mm (4.29 inch), weight 401 grams (14.14 once (oz.)),

Dish on footring, everted lobed rim. On the base four spur-marks in a Y-pattern. 'Gold' Imari, decorated in gold, iron-red and a light-pinkish gold wash. In the centre a pair of quails near a shore under a millet plant. On the sides peony flower heads with foliage alternating with a butterfly in flight. On the rim flower heads alternating with leaves. The reverse is undecorated.

A group that seems to have been especially favoured in The Netherlands, traditionally called 'Gold Imari', dates to the early 18th century. These wares are painted in gold only, in gold and iron-red, or in gold and red with a few touches of green, aubergine and black. 'Gold Imari' is relatively well represented in collections in the northern parts of The Netherlands but which occurs less often in old English and German collections

From about 1700 the gold often has a pink-violet hue ('pink lustre'), which is clearly visible on the white porcelain background when the gold is very thin or has been rubbed off. It seems that the Japanese enamellers used a different process to the Chinese, because Chinese pieces do not have this pink violet hue. (Jörg 2003/1, pp.92-93)

The quail, closely allied to the partridge, is an emblem of courage both in China and Japan, as it is highly esteemed as a fighting bird. In North China people made these birds fight under a basket, where millet first had been strewn to make them jealous. Moreover, quails are believed to change into pheasants eventually. On Japanese porcelain they are frequently depicted amidst autumn grasses under millet. This quail and millet design, symbolizing the autumn is especially common on Kakiemon, but is also found on ko Kutani, Imari and blue-and-white wares. It has been suggested that that particular form is copied from the work of the painter Tosa Mitsuoki (1607-1691), but it probably originated from Chinese paintings of the Sung period. This motif has been copied on European porcelain, especially at Bow and Chelsea, where it is used as a decoration on the so-called 'partridge plates', and also on Meissen porcelain. (Arts 1983, pp.134-135)

For an identical shaped, sized and decorated, sold dish, please see:

Sold Ceramics - Sold Japanese Imari 1690-1800 - 'Gold' Imari - Page 2 - Object 2012109.

Condition: A short hairline and some spots of popped bubbles of glaze, caused by the firing process, to the rim.

References:

Arts 1983, pp.134-135

Jörg 2003/1, pp.92-93

Price: Sold.