Rare Pair of Japanese Satsuma Earthenware Vases, Japan Late Edo Period

A Satsuma Earthenware vase and cover, Japanese, Meiji period, (1868-1912) decorated in polychrome enamels and gilt over a clear, crackled glaze, delicately painted with samurai on ...

A Satsuma Earthenware Vase, by Kinkozan, Japanese, Meiji period (1868-1912) decorated in polychrome enamels and gilt over a clear, crackled glaze, delicately painted with ladies and men, the reverse with a flowering garden with sprays of flowers, the neck with geometric and floral designs, a band of kifu heads in silver and gilt above the foot, on a midnight-blue ground, signed Kinkozan zo...

A pair of "butterfly" Satsuma earthenware vases, Meiji period finely decorated in enamels and gilt with scenes of Samurai and retainers and high ranking female members of the househ...

Meiji Period (1868-1912) From our Japanese collection, we are delighted to offer this Japanese Satsuma Iris Vase Painted by Ryuzan. The Japanese Satsuma vase of tall tapered form features a circular rolled foot rim, slightly pinched base with a tapered body and slightly bulbous opening. The vase is decorated with a central continuous band of bright iris flowers with various shades of green to the stems and beautiful violet petals. The central band is framed by greek key borders and honeycomb geometric patterns to the top and bottom. The vase is signed to the base Ryuzan 龍山 and dates to the Meiji Period (1868-1912) and the late 19th century circa 1895. Satsuma ware is a type of earthenware pottery originating from the Satsuma province in Southern Kyushu, Japan’s third largest island. 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...