A PAIR OF JAPANESE ARITA BLUE AND WHITE DISHES

EDO PERIOD, 18TH CENTURY

Decorated in underglaze blue with three deer, the animals depicted prancing amongst large maple leaves, both with a brown-edged rim, the reverse with karakusa scrolls and with a fuku mark to the base, both 21cm. (2)

Cf. Ko-Imari: A catalogue of Hizen Porcelain from the Nezu Museum's Yamamoto Collection, p.61, no.130, for a comparable dish with deer and maple leaves.

Deer and maple leaves are often depicted together in Japanese art as they both symbolize the arrival of autumn. The phrase momiji ni shika (maple leaves and deer) also conveys the idea of a perfect pairing.