![Water jar with design of pine-tree, bamboos, and plum trees,](https://turuta.jp/ceramics-story/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2024/06/ysf_03290_1-300x300.jpg)
Height 21.1cm, Bore 15.1cm, Bottom 13.1cm
It is said that water jars with a tightened body were relatively popular, and are often seen among early Imari Sometsuke sui-jisimi. The body is slightly tightened, the waist is rounded, and the base is carved out to a large size. The upper part of the body is decorated with willows, flying birds, and a cloud-like pattern. Yamashita Sasuro speculates that this cloud-shaped pattern may be a dragon pattern unique to Imari, but I think it is a variant of the “Yundo” pattern found in Chinese blue-and-white porcelain. Incidentally, dragons did not appear in this abbreviated form until the 18th century. The body has windows on three sides with a pine, bamboo, and plum design inside, and the spaces between the windows are filled with cloisonne enamel designs. The cloisonne design is large and spacious, and has a style typical of early Sometsuke ware. The date of production is not clear, but it is thought to have been made around the Kan’ei period.