A 17th Century Japanese Jar and Cover in the Ming Style

A 17th Century Japanese Jar and Cover in the Ming Style, Arita Kilns c.1655-1680. The design is in the style of late Ming porcelain produced at the beginning of the 17th century, Wanli or perhaps Tianqi c.1600-1630. However, this Japanese porcelain jar and cover is based on Dutch Delftware that is copying or at least basing its design on Ming porcelain. Ming porcelain designs with these panels and borders are referred to as Kraak ware. The three main panels are also a mix of different styles, essentially they are again a Japanese interpretation of Chinese style Delftware. Items like the present example were imported by the Dutch East India Company, the V.O.C. Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie from Japan for use in the Netherlands and trade within Europe. During this period the Chinese kilns at Jingdezhen were struggling to produce porcelain because of internal problems within the country, so it was down to the Japanese and the Dutch potters to fulfill the insatiable demand for blue and white ceramics. This pot and cover is the result of design and trade between three countries, the Netherlands, China and Japan. For a very similar Arita jar lacking its cover, dated to c.1655-1670 see : Complete Catalogue of Shibata Collection (Contributors Saga Kenritsu Kyūshū Tōji Bunkakan. Published by the Kyushu Ceramic Museum, 1990) page 121, plate 0906. See below for related objects.

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