A LARGE JAPANESE ARITA DISH AND TEA BOWL EDO PERIOD

A LARGE JAPANESE ARITA DISH AND TEA BOWL

EDO PERIOD, CIRCA 1700

The dish with a foliate rim and painted with a mountainous river landscape, with two thatched huts by the shore and sailboats to the fore, the base with a seal mark within double rings, possibly for 'spring', together with a small blue and white bowl with a brown glazed rim, painted with figures in a continuous landscape, the base with a seal mark for ki (happiness), 30.8cm and 8.9cm dia. respectively. (2)

Provenance: from a deceased estate, Dorset, both purchased from Artemesia Alresford, the plate on 27th August 1998 for £265 and the bowl on 28th May 1998 for £150. Copies of the original invoices are available.

Cf. G Lang, The Wrestling Boys, An exhibition of Chinese and Japanese ceramics from the 16th to the 18th century in the collection at Burghley House, p.16 no.46, for a comparable tea bowl. The author also discusses how this piece resembles others produced with Chinese-style decoration for the Dutch market.