A JAPANESE NEGORO HEISHI (RITUAL BOTTLE VASE)

A JAPANESE NEGORO HEISHI (RITUAL BOTTLE VASE)
EDO/MEIJI, 19TH CENTURY

Of typical form, with a tapered neck, a broad shoulder raised on a narrow foot and a wide base, painted in warm coral-red lacquer on a black ground, 33cm.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), the elegant heishi wine vessels began to be produced, likely inspired by the meiping porcelain vase shape from China's Song Dynasty (960-1279). According to Kawada Sadamu, a renowned expert on the Nara National Museum and Tezukayama University, the Negoro-ware heishi became popular with the warrior class. This was a time when a distinctive aesthetic of red designs on a black background was favoured for various items, from swords to ceremonial vessels. Negoro lacquer saw a significant rise in its artistic and cultural appreciation during the 19th century as collectors, particularly those involved in the Way of Tea (Chanoyu), revered its rustic simplicity and the aesthetic beauty of its worn red-over-black patina.