Satsuma Meiji Earthenware Lidded Vase-foo Dogs, Samurai & Scholars Large W Lid

Description: Satsuma ware is a type of earthenware pottery originating from the Satsuma province in southern Kyushu, Japan’s third largest and the most southerly of the four largest islands (excluding Okinawa). Satsuma province is located approximately 140 miles across the Sea of Japan from the Korean port of Busan . The first kilns in Satsuma were established in the 16th century by Korean potters, kidnapped by the Japanese for their extraordinary skills. Prior to this, there was no real ceramic industry to speak of in the Satsuma region. Satsuma pottery was originally sparsely decorated as the Japanese culture admired the simplicity and beauty of the clay and natural crackling in the glaze. When Japan opened to the West in the19th century, Europe and America were fascinated with Japanese culture. During the Meiji period (1868-1912), Satsuma pottery was produced primarily for export and leaned into American and European tastes with richly painted, exotic pieces. This is an exceptionally large (22 inches tall) and well decorated Satsuma earthenware covered vase or urn from the Japanese Meiji era. This vase dates from c. 1885-1905. Its splendor and distinctiveness are undeniable. It may well have originally possessed a “sticker” showing its production in Japan to comply with the 1891 U.S. import rules (or it could have been made earlier). Although the piece’s shape has antecedents in the Japanese “Koro,” a smaller, globular lidded vessel used as an incense burner in the tea ceremony, its size suggests that it was designed to function as a vase or covered urn. It is richly hand-painted with at least three Samurai figures on one side and three additional figures on the other side who may be scholars. The figures compete for space on the surface of the vase with a number of complex and intricate abstract, gold-brocaded patterns that suggest the designs found on court robes or lacquers. The decorator also made extensive use of a very traditional type of Japanese ornamentation called “moriage,” to create raised surfaces. This process is very like the Western technique of "slip trailing" in which colored slip is applied to the base pot through a fine pointed applicator (similar to frosting a cake). The photographs of the vase lid reveal how the artist has used lines of slip to separate the different zones of the brocade pattern and then raised dots to enhance the effect. Similarly, he has used parallel raised lines to draw attention to the armor on the Samurai. The artist has also used reflective metals or reflective paint on the bodies of the Samurai to heighten the sparkle effect of light on the surface. Another exciting feature of this vase is the presence of three moulded “Shishi,”or "stylized lions," (two forming the vase's handles and the third the finial). In the English-speaking world these creatures are usually referred to as “Foo Dogs.” The concept of the protective lions, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, featured a pair of the highly stylized animals—often one male with a ball which represents the material elements (the male is shown here on the vase’s finial) and one female with a cub which represents the element of spirit— that were thought to protect the building from harmful spiritual influences and harmful people that might be a threat. Finally, the vase is raised on three shaped legs with animal heads joined to the body and terminating in paw feet. This wonderful example of Japanese art, in excellent antique condition, will reward its owner with hours of delight studying the different Japanese design elements which embellish the vase’s surface and transmit the society’s values. This is an important ceramic piece which will anchor an important collection.

Price: 1500 USD

Location: Weston, Massachusetts

End Time: 2024-11-30T16:29:37.000Z

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