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.