An Unusual 17th Century Japanese Porcelain Dish Decorated with a Tortoise and prunus
An unusual 17th century Japanese blue and white porcelain dish, Arita kilns c.1655-1670. Decorated using Sumihajiki (wax resist) to create the design against a solid cobalt blue ground. The waterlily shaped panels are decorated with a tortoise and the other with prunus.
SOLD
- Condition
- In excellent condition, some minor crazing.
- Size
- N/A
- Provenance
- From a Private English Collection of 17th and 18th Century Chinese and Japanese Porcelain.
- Stock number
- 24969
Photos
Information
Sumihajiki :
This type of ceramic decoration appears in Japan just after the middle of the 17th century, although its origins are much earlier. The effect created is that of painted white lines cutting through blue, this is achieved using a wax resist type paint called `sumi` which protects the white porcelain from the cobalt blue over-painting. The `sumi` is burnt off during the firing to leaving white lines to contrast against the blue.