Antique Japanese Meiji Period Satsuma Koro Kizan

About the Item

Meiji Period (1868-1912) From our Japanese collection, we are pleased to offer this Antique Japanese Meiji Period Satsuma Koro by Kizan. The Koro of squat bombe form raised upon angled feet with a central raised neck surmounted by a chrysanthemum flower handle. The exterior of the Koro is painted with four large scenes framed by a black pinstripe. Each scene features a vase landscape with figures or birds to the foreground with flowers and foliage including cherry blossom and bamboo. The neck of the vase is decorated with various geometric patterns, flowers and shapes matching the lid with greek key borders. The underside of the Koro is signed with a two character mark 貴山 for Kizan and dates to the late 19th century during the Meiji Period (1868-1912) circa 1895. Kizan was a Meiji Period (1868-1912) artist who signed his works in various forms including 輝山, 琪山, 竒山, 喜山, 貴山 and 暉山. Kizan was a good level Satsuma artist and worked for the Yasuda company under Ryozan. Koro, a squat broad-mouthed covered jar usually made from bronze, pottery or jade which is used as an incense burner. The lids of the Koro often contain pierced sections which release the incense from the body of the Koro. Meiji Period was an era of Japanese history that spanned from 1868 to 1912. It was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people began to build a paradigm of a modern, industrialised nation state and emergent great power, influenced by Western countries and aesthetics. As a result of radically different ideas, the changes to Japan were profound and it affected the social structure, politics, economy, military, and foreign relations across the board. The period corresponded to the reign of Emperor Meiji and was preceded by the Keio era and was succeeded by the Taisho era. Cultural Art during the Meiji Period was of particular interest to the government and they overhauled the art export market which in turn promoted Japanese arts via various world’s fairs, beginning in Vienna at the world fair in 1873. The government heavily funded the fairs and took an active role organising how Japan’s culture was presented to the world including creating a semi-public company named Kiritsu Kosho Kaisha (First Industrial Manufacturing Company). The Kiritsu Kosho Kaisha was used to promote and commercialise exports of Japanese art and established the Hakurankai Jimukyoku (Exhibition Bureau) to maintain quality standards. For the 1876 Centennial International Exhibition in Philadelphia, the Japanese government created a Centennial Office and sent a special envoy to secure space for the 30,000 items that would be displayed. The Imperial Household also took an active interest in arts and crafts, commissioning works by select artists to be given as gifts for foreign dignitaries further emphasising the high quality and importance of Japanese art. Just before the end of the 19th century in 1890, the Teishitsu Gigeiin (Artist to the Imperial Household) system was created to recognise distinguished artists. These artists were selected for their exceptionally high quality wares and talent in their own industry. Over a period of 54 years Seventy artists were appointed, amongst these were ceramicist Makuzu Kozan and cloisonné enamel artist Namikawa Yasuyuki. Satsuma ware is a type of earthenware pottery originating from the Satsuma province in Southern Kyushu, Japan’s third largest island. Antique, a collectable object such as a piece of furniture or work of art that has a high value because of its age and quality. Objects of this nature are generally considered antique at 100 plus years of age. Measurements (centimetres) 14.5cm High x 10cm Wide x 8.5cm Deep

Dimensions:

Height: 5.7 in (14.48 cm)Width: 3.9 in (9.91 cm)Depth: 3.35 in (8.51 cm)

Style:

Meiji (Of the Period)

Materials and Techniques:

Ceramic,Earthenware,Hand-Crafted,Hand-Painted

Place of Origin:

Japan

Period:

1890-1899

Date of Manufacture:

Circa 1895