Japanese Blue and White wares 17th Century - Dishes - Page 2

Object 2012362

Dish

Japan

c.1700

Height 28 mm (1.10 inch), diameter of rim 206 mm (8.11 inch), diameter of footring 118 mm (4.65 inch), weight 351 grams (12.38 ounce (oz.))

Moulded dish on footring, scalloped rim. On the base three spur-marks. Decorated in underglaze blue with a bird perched on a branch in a marshy landscape with rocks, plants, clouds and an insect in flight. On the sides and rim eight blank panels moulded in low relief, each impressed with a stylised plant. On the reverse three concentric lines one near and two on the footring. On the base a square mark in a single concentric band.

The first characteristic of moulded Japanese objects follows a tradition set by the Japanese makers of blue and white Kakiemon style porcelains in the 17th century. This tradition was for high quality moulding and other complex treatments of rims and borders, sometimes also with other moulding in low relief. The second characteristic is that it uses Late Ming (and sometimes earlier) styles, grids and motifs. These items of design were presumably taken from carefully treasured heirloom pieces imported into Japan about 1620 when the Japanese first made porcelain. Panelled Kraak designs may have been provided by the Dutch to be copied.

The use of drawings in the coarse bold 'free' Chinese late Kraak style shown had already been extensively used for the West during the Great Export Period on many but not all of the copies of panelled Kraak style wares. It proved to be a long lasting favourite in Japan. New carefully moulded borders were added however, making a strong contrast. Some of the new borders in perhaps the second quarter of the 18th century had a celadon glaze. Dating of some of these pieces is however still controversial. Some in the second half of the 18th century had borders with low relief designs and patterns. (Finch 1998, pp.14-15, cat. 73 & 74)

For dishes with moulded borders in low relief please see:

Condition: A firing flaw and some tiny firing tension glaze hairlines, caused by the firing process, to the reverse rim. A hairline to the rim.

References:

Finch 1998, cat. 73 & 74

Kyushu 2003, cat. 3306 & 3307

Price: € 449 Currency Converter