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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Japan, Room 45, The Toshiba Gallery

Flask

1325-1350 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Seto (made)

This narrow-necked flask is an example of Koseto ware, a variety of high-quality glazed ceramic produced in the Seto area, north-east of Nagoya, from the late 12th century to the early 16th century. Koseto ware was produced in a wide range of shapes, frequently modelled after imported Chinese ceramics. This piece is closely based on contemporary white porcelains from kilns in southern China. The distribution of sites where Koseto wares have been found by archaeologists indicates that they enjoyed a particularly lively market in areas of the country where Chinese ceramics were either unavailable or expensive.


Object details

Categories
Access_to_Images 2003
Ceramics
Containers
Stoneware
Object type
Flask
Materials and techniques
Stoneware, with green ash glaze over impressed decoration
Stoneware
Ash Glaze
Glazed
Impressed
Brief description
Flask, stoneware with green ash glaze over impressed roundel decoration; Japan (Seto ware, Koseto type), Muromachi period, 1325-1350
Physical description
Narrow-necked flask with impressed roundel decoration and a liberal quantity of green ash glaze which drips down the side of the flask
Dimensions
  • Height: 26.7cm
Style
Muromachi
Gallery label
  • Flask with stamped decoration 1325–50 Flasks like this were used to make offerings of sake (rice wine) on Shintō altars. They were also used by Buddhists as containers for the cremated remains of the deceased. Like many wares made in Seto in central Japan at the time, the shape was copied from ceramics imported from China. Seto kilns Stoneware with green ash glaze Museum no. FE.6-1972 (04/11/2015)
  • Narrow-Necked Flask Stoneware with green ash glaze over impressed roundel decoration Seto kilns (Koseto type) About 1325-1350 The shape of this jar is closely based on Chinese porcelain examples popular in Japan from about 1100. The thin unstable glaze was made from a simple mixture of clay and wood ash.(1986)
  • Bottle Seto kilns (Koseto type) Stoneware with green ash glaze over impressed decoration 1325-1350 V&A FE.6-1972 (December 2014)
Production
Seto ware, Koseto type
Summary
This narrow-necked flask is an example of Koseto ware, a variety of high-quality glazed ceramic produced in the Seto area, north-east of Nagoya, from the late 12th century to the early 16th century. Koseto ware was produced in a wide range of shapes, frequently modelled after imported Chinese ceramics. This piece is closely based on contemporary white porcelains from kilns in southern China. The distribution of sites where Koseto wares have been found by archaeologists indicates that they enjoyed a particularly lively market in areas of the country where Chinese ceramics were either unavailable or expensive.
Bibliographic references
  • Ayers, John. Far Eastern Ceramics in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London: Sotheby Parke Bernet, in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 1980, Colour Plate No. 71.
  • Earle, Joe, ed. Japanese art and design London: V&A Publishing, 2009, p. 34.
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
FE.6-1972

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O14556/flask-unknown/
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