Jar thumbnail 1
Jar thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Japan, Room 45, The Toshiba Gallery

Jar

1670-1700 (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. The earliest pieces were designed for the domestic market. Production increased from 1650 onwards, with a large part of the industry being directed towards the making of ceramics for export to Europe. This jar, which may have formed part of a five-piece garniture, would originally have had a lid.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Porcelain decorated in underglaze blue
Brief description
Porcelain jar decorated in underglaze blue; features a tiger surounded by trees and plants; Arita, 1670-1700.
Physical description
Hexagonal-shaped porcelain jar. Overall decoration in underglaze blue, featuring a large tiger in the centre foreground. The tiger is looking up through trees and flowers towards the sky. The upper section of the vase, separated from the main body of the vase by a thin border, is decorated in blue with a repeat border. The outside of the neck of the jar is decorated with a blue floral and scroll design.
Dimensions
  • From register height: 15.25in
  • From register diameter: 11.5in
Style
Gallery label
  • Toshiba Gallery Redisplay Pair of hexagonal jars 1670–1700 The most commonly found type of Japanese porcelain was decorated with designs painted in cobalt blue the glaze. Blue-and-white wares were made both for the Japanese market and, as in the case of these jars, for export abroad. Both of the jars would originally have had lids. Arita kilns Porcelain painted in underglaze blue Museum nos. 419-1887; 1681-1876 (04/11/2015)
  • JAR Porcelain with decoration in underglaze blue Tigers, dragons, bamboo and prunus Arita kilns Bought in Persia About 1650-1700(1986)
Object history
Purchased from Jap. Fine Art (…) (7 King Street, St. James), accessioned in 1887. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project.
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. The earliest pieces were designed for the domestic market. Production increased from 1650 onwards, with a large part of the industry being directed towards the making of ceramics for export to Europe. This jar, which may have formed part of a five-piece garniture, would originally have had a lid.
Collection
Accession number
419-1887

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Record createdMay 9, 2000
Record URL
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