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

Bottle

1660-1680 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Porcelain was first made in Japan in the early years of the 17th century at kilns in and around the town of Arita in the northern part of the western island of Kyushu. While the earliest pieces were designed solely for the domestic market, after 1650 production increased and a large part of the industry became involved in making ceramics for export to Europe. This bottle is an example of porcelain produced to Japanese taste in the period after production for export had begun. Works for the domestic market vary considerably in style, but most have a matt glaze over a relatively rough, off-white body. Their attraction lies in their fluid, calligraphically painted decoration carried out in a range of rich, deep colours.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain decorated with overglaze enamels
Brief description
Bottle, porcelain painted in overglaze enamels; Japan, Arita kilns (Kutani type), Edo period, 1660-1680
Physical description
Bottle of porcelain, pear-shaped with tapering neck and spreading rim. Painted with floral sprays in red, green, aubergine-purple, yellow and blue anmels with black outlines.
Dimensions
  • From register height: 42.5cm
Styles
Gallery label
Bottle Porcelain with decoration in overglaze enamels Floral sprays Arita kilns About 1650-1700(1986)
Object history
Date given as 1660-1680 in Porcelain for Palaces, no. 77; dated on label in Toshiba Gallery given as 'about 1650-1700' as at February 2009
Subjects depicted
Summary
Porcelain was first made in Japan in the early years of the 17th century at kilns in and around the town of Arita in the northern part of the western island of Kyushu. While the earliest pieces were designed solely for the domestic market, after 1650 production increased and a large part of the industry became involved in making ceramics for export to Europe. This bottle is an example of porcelain produced to Japanese taste in the period after production for export had begun. Works for the domestic market vary considerably in style, but most have a matt glaze over a relatively rough, off-white body. Their attraction lies in their fluid, calligraphically painted decoration carried out in a range of rich, deep colours.
Collection
Accession number
C.70-1953

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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