Lidded Box
ca. 1870-1880 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This lidded porcelain container (Japanese: ‘natsume’) was possibly used to hold tea. The lid is decorated in silver wires with two quail amongst flowers, a band of stylised bats and clouds and a band of scrolling ‘karakusa’ (Chinese grass). The main body continues with a band of scrolling ‘karakusa’ with the main decoration of plovers and waves followed by a small band of brass wire ‘karakusa’, all in matt cloisonné enamels. The interior has been given a thin wash of either brown lacquer or enamel and then decorated with gold and silver lacquer birds, flowers and abstract geometrical motifs. The interior foot has the artist’s signature written in gold lacquer.
The Nagoya-based cloisonné artist Tsukamoto Kaisuke (1828-1887) is generally credited with discovering how to apply cloisonné enamels to a ceramic vessel around 1868. However, this was a relatively short-lived innovation and was never very popular. This was probably because enamels on porcelain tended to look dull and dirty and were liable to crack. Nevertheless, some fine and durable examples were produced, like this piece.
The Nagoya-based cloisonné artist Tsukamoto Kaisuke (1828-1887) is generally credited with discovering how to apply cloisonné enamels to a ceramic vessel around 1868. However, this was a relatively short-lived innovation and was never very popular. This was probably because enamels on porcelain tended to look dull and dirty and were liable to crack. Nevertheless, some fine and durable examples were produced, like this piece.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Porcelain decorated with cloisonné enamels |
Brief description | Met, Japan, VESS/CONT/HOLDERS/cloisonne on ceramic |
Physical description | Lidded porcelain container (Japanese: natsume), possibly for tea |
Dimensions |
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Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | Dai Nihon Aichi ken Hara Fujio Zo
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Credit line | Gift of Sir Harry Garner |
Object history | Gift of Sir Harry Garner |
Summary | This lidded porcelain container (Japanese: ‘natsume’) was possibly used to hold tea. The lid is decorated in silver wires with two quail amongst flowers, a band of stylised bats and clouds and a band of scrolling ‘karakusa’ (Chinese grass). The main body continues with a band of scrolling ‘karakusa’ with the main decoration of plovers and waves followed by a small band of brass wire ‘karakusa’, all in matt cloisonné enamels. The interior has been given a thin wash of either brown lacquer or enamel and then decorated with gold and silver lacquer birds, flowers and abstract geometrical motifs. The interior foot has the artist’s signature written in gold lacquer. The Nagoya-based cloisonné artist Tsukamoto Kaisuke (1828-1887) is generally credited with discovering how to apply cloisonné enamels to a ceramic vessel around 1868. However, this was a relatively short-lived innovation and was never very popular. This was probably because enamels on porcelain tended to look dull and dirty and were liable to crack. Nevertheless, some fine and durable examples were produced, like this piece. |
Collection | |
Accession number | M.21-1958 |
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Record created | December 16, 2005 |
Record URL |
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