Height: 15.2 cm (through lid), height: 11.1 cm (body), diameter: 18.7 cm (mouth), diameter: 9.7 cm (bottom)
Tokyo National Museum
Although this piece is conventionally called Ko-Kutani, it should be considered an early Ko-Imari red-painted ware based on its style. Also, some researchers believe that it may be an early Kakiemon, but early Kakiemon and Imari cannot be clearly distinguished at today’s stage. Therefore, it seems that it should be included in the range of Ko-Imari.
The lid is attached with a string like an axle, and the entire body is somewhat distorted, probably due to the fresh firing. The lid and body are decorated with red, green, yellow and purple peonies in arabesque style, which is common to early Imari Sometsuke. Although the date of production is still uncertain, it is thought to have been made between the Shoho and Meireki periods, i.e., from the late 1640s to the early 1650s. In addition, there are existing works in a similar style, though not as numerous. And although they are all treated as Ko-Kutani, I rather think that they should be treated as Ko-Imari, whether they can really be called Ko-Kutani or not.
