Japanese Ko Kutani ceramic. Incense burner, Rice bowl.

PLATE CIII.

(from left to right)

JAPANESE KO KUTANI WARE

Incense burner, Rice bowl

by Stephen Wootton Bushell

INCENSE-BURNER (Koro), of circular section, with three small feet, enamelled with an iron red glase of deep vermilion tint, overlaid with gilded and silvered decoration. On the body a three-clawed dragon outlined in gold is winding round the side, above a floor of crested waves painted in silver; a band of lotus petals, touched in silver with gilded outlines encircles the upper rim.

The paste, buff inside, is enamelled white round the edge and underneath the foot.

RICE-BOWL (Meshi-Wan), enamelled with the same deep vermilion glaze, and decorated in colours, including a pale green, in combination with the gold and silver.

A conventional scroll of the sacred lotus extends round the bowl, studding it with four formal flowers, bordered above by a broad band of ornamental fret, alternately gilded and silvered below, with a ring of lotus petals.

The foot is red underneath, as well as the lower rim, leaving none of the paste visible; the interior of the bowl is coated with a white enamel of pitted texture. Period of both pieces, about 1730.

Superordinate: History of Kutani ceramic. Kaga, Japan.

Source: Oriental ceramic art: illustrated by examples from the collection of W.T. Walters, by Stephen Wootton Bushell (1844-1908). L. Prang & Co., lithographer; D. Appleton and Company, publisher, 1897.