Rare Japanese Porcelain Incense Burner with Inlays Makuzu Kozan

A tri-pod ceramic incense burner (koro) by Japanese Imperial potter Makuzu Kozan (1842-1916) circa late Meiji to the start of Taisho period (1890-1910s). A fine example of the artist's work belonging to the late part of his underglaze paint phase (started around 1887 until his death), the surface of the koro was painted in beautiful shades of blue to depict a continuous landscape not unlike a traditional ink and watercolor hand scroll. The rise and fall mountains recede and fade into the horizon and are dotted with groves of pines. The sky is painted with a beautiful subtle shade of pink, suggesting a time of sunrise or sunset. The koro is fitted with an ensuite reticulated sterling silver hoya (incense cover), pierced with swirling cloud and marked with "pure silver' in Kanji. The base is signed in underglaze blue "Makuzu Kozan Sei" within a double ring. The piece is beautifully potted in form and the decoration was done with expertise using the novel technique developed by Kozan called Fuki-e (the blow painting), in order to achieve the striking landscape known as "Mountain and Water" with sense of dimensions and gradient, the poetic effects normally conveyed only by sumi ink staining on paper. The piece comes with an unsigned tomobako (wood storage box) of a recent age. Also known as Miyagawa Kozan (1842–1916), Makuzu Kozan was one of the most established and collected ceramist from Meiji Period. Born as Miyagawa Toranosuke, Kozan established his pottery studio in Yokohama around 1870s and later became one of the appointed artists to the Japanese Imperial household. His work was exhibited in many international fairs that the Meiji government participated at the turn of the century and won many grand prizes. Being one of the most creative ceramists, Kozan started experimenting with new chemical colors from the West in the format of his porcelain glaze around 1880s. New colors allowed him to create underglaze designs that appeared bright, smooth and glossy. He even invented his own receipt of cobalt blue to achieve a much brighter yet softer shade, as evident on this vase. To create landscape that is realistic and dimensional, more common in the western paintings, he was inspired by the native Japanese ink painting technique developed around 1900 by Yokoyama...

Two small nearly identical ceramic vases by Japanese Meiji imperial potter Makuzu Kozan (1842-1916), circa 1890-1900s. The vases were made in the form of jarlet with swelled shoulder...

A fine and elegant Japanese Satsuma tripod incense burner, koro, with pierced metal lid, signed Eizan (?) Meiji Period, late 19th century, Japan. The koro, or censer, features a stoneware body of slightly compressed globular form, supported on three short and squat legs. The wide mouth with a recessed metal rim, and topped by an openwork metal lid topped with overlapping chrysanthemum blossoms of silver repousse. The body of the koro finely painted with fan shaped cartouches. The fans in the foreground with sprays of blossoming chrysanthemum. The fans in the background with intricate geometric brocade designs. The shoulder of the incense burner decorated with cartouches formed as stylized chrysanthemum petals, and intricately decorated with geometric and floral brocade designs. The painting finely done in raised gilt and polychrome enamels, including the highly desirable gosu blue...

JAPAN - Circa 1900 Incense burner in Satsuma earthenware with vegetal decoration. Openwork lid in shibuichi surmounted by a flower in slight relief...