Japanese Ceramic Vase Meiji Period

A Japanese long neck porcelain vase circa 1900-1910s by the studio of Miyagawa Kozan (1842–1916), one of the most established and collected Japanese ceramist from the end of Meiji Period. Commonly known as Makuzu Kozan, which also appears as the signature on his work, his originally birth name was Miyagawa Toranosuke. He was the appointed artist to the Japanese Imperial household and his work was exhibited in many international fairs that the Meiji government participated at the turn of the century. This vase features an elegant Classic form with a slender neck and slightly flared mouth above a baluster body. It was finely painted with two swimming carps in a copper red underglaze among green ribbons like waves. The background display a brilliant verdant green overall, Around the fish a poetic hazy effect was emphasized for a visual complexity by Fuki-e (the blow painting), an invention in Kozan's studio. The new technical development of chemical colors from the west was embraced circa 1900s in Kozan studio. This empowered the more creative experiments with not only colors, but also concept of dimension, which led Makuzu Kozan's work to become a bridge between East and West aesthetics. This is particularly evident in this vase with the Masterly details of the brush strokes, the expertly employment of gradient of color, and a very realistic and detailed rendering of the fish and their vivid motions. For two similar examples of Kozan's work with similar carps decoration, see Page 148-149 of the book: Sekai ni Aisa Reta ya Kimono Miyagawa Kozan Makuzu...

A Japanese long neck slender ceramic vase in the style of Mishima, circa 19th century, Meiji period. Mishima pottery was originally imported from three islands in Taiwan and then fro...

A unique Japanese vase, hand-crafted in bronze. Meiji Period, circa 1890. Decorated with embossed cranes and a gilt sun symbol. At the bottom, the vase is nested in an exquisitely ca...

A large Japanese ceramic vase by the celebrated Meiji imperial potter Makuzu Kozan (1842-1916) circa 1880-1890s. Dated to his underglaze phase post 1887 after he successfully mastered the new colors available from the west and used them to the best advantage in his work deeply rooted in Japanese aesthetics. The vase has an impressive size and was potted in the classic baluster form with an elegant proportion. The surface is decorated using a combination of techniques of low relief sculpturing...

Small cloisonné vase in bronze. Signed to the bottom. Blue enamel base color decorated with numerous flowers, reeds, a rabbit etc. in polychrome e...

The vases of large oval form potted from earthenware with pinched neck and base stood upon a splayed circular foot. The vases extensively decorated with a continuous scene with polychrome colours and raised enamels featuring a large central white elephant and various figures. The top and bottom bordered by arched gilt decoration and gilded rims. The bases signed by a three character mark in red 新井造 Arai Zo (made by Arai). The vases date to the Meiji period (1868-1912) and are large in size measuring 46cm High. Meiji Period is 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...