Height 20.2cm, Diameter 11.0cm, Body Diameter 18.8cm, Bottom Diameter 10.9cm
There is a type of blue and white porcelain called Shousui that was produced at Jingdezhen’s private kilns at the end of the Ming Dynasty to order from Japan. From the early Edo period onwards, it was highly regarded by tea ceremony masters, and it influenced the production of Imari and Ko-Kutani wares. In Kyoto, Kibai and Hozan also produced works in the Shōzu style, but the distinctive feature here is that they did not simply copy the original Shōzu works, but added their own creative touches.
The shape of the water jar is called imogashira-gata, with a round base and a bulbous shape, but it is actually based on the shape of the Shōsui water jar, which is called mikan-gata, and the lid is modeled on the original work, with a mikan (mandarin orange) knob and small leaves in relief. The body of the jar is decorated with various patterns, including landscapes, mounted figures, and flowers and birds, inside the large and small windows, and the arrangement of the round and floral patterns shows the unique sensibilities of the conservationist. The underside of the lid is decorated with two tigers, and inside the foot ring, the inscription “Dai Nippon Eiraku Zou” is written in underglaze blue. The lid of the box is inscribed “Shourui Imadou Suisui, Kyogai” and the underside of the lid is inscribed “Zengoro Zou”, and the Eiraku seal is stamped. This is the most outstanding of the Shonzui-style water jars in the collection.
