Bottle thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Ceramics, Room 137, The Curtain Foundation Gallery

Bottle

1573 - 1868 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Situated on a small island south of Kyushu Tanegashima wares, named after the island where they are manufactured, are recognised for there simple, bold shapes, muted colouration and unpretentious decoration. This bottle functioned primarily as a utilitarian object rather than a decorative piece, as suggested by its well potted, robust form. Admired for its restrained colour, Tanegashima wares, are potted from an iron-rich clay and minimally decorated. This piece has only two encircling grooves near the neck to emphasis the width and bulbous form of the vessel. Known as 'namban ware' or Southern Barbarian' pieces due to their Southerly location of the coast of Japan, these vessels were exported in large quantities to Japan to be used and admired for their wabi or 'quiet taste'.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, thrown and partially sculpted, with natural ash glaze
Brief description
Bottle, stoneware with impressed decoration, Tanegashima ware, Japan, 1573 - 1868
Physical description
Bottle, with gently swelling shoulders that develop into a round bulbous body with a wide base, short neck and rim. Encircling the shoulders of the vessel are two thin grooves; while the richly texturised surface of the vessel contains slight depressions, caused during the firing of the clay. The vase is of a mottled reddished brown clay with darker brown colouration due to the accidental application of natural ash deposits during firing. Natural ash glazing and irregular scorching of the clay surface were achieved through the use of a wood-firing kiln.
Dimensions
  • Height: 23.3 cm
  • Diameter: 19.8cm
Styles
Credit line
Given by Alexander Bruce
Summary
Situated on a small island south of Kyushu Tanegashima wares, named after the island where they are manufactured, are recognised for there simple, bold shapes, muted colouration and unpretentious decoration. This bottle functioned primarily as a utilitarian object rather than a decorative piece, as suggested by its well potted, robust form. Admired for its restrained colour, Tanegashima wares, are potted from an iron-rich clay and minimally decorated. This piece has only two encircling grooves near the neck to emphasis the width and bulbous form of the vessel. Known as 'namban ware' or Southern Barbarian' pieces due to their Southerly location of the coast of Japan, these vessels were exported in large quantities to Japan to be used and admired for their wabi or 'quiet taste'.
Collection
Accession number
FE.87-2011

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Record createdFebruary 1, 2011
Record URL
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