Height 25.4 cm, mouth diameter 22.7 cm, body diameter 25.8 cm, bottom diameter 12.1 cm
Tokyo National Museum
From the Kanbun to the Enpo and Genroku periods, Arita produced many lidded wares in this style, which were exported to Europe. This is one of the most outstanding examples of this style.
The intricate design with peony as the theme was one of the favorites of the time, and similar designs can be seen on some jars and lids. This lidded vase has the same design on both the lid and body, with a curtain on the reverse side showing a single-wheeled wheel motif. The large clouds above and below the pattern are a characteristic feature of this piece, and may have been a variation of the cloud design seen in Ming dynasty red glaze and underglaze blue glaze. The blue overglaze paint applied to the clouds is too thick, which somewhat diminishes the elegance of the color scheme, but the red, yellow, and green of the peony flowers and branches are beautiful, the brushwork is spacious, and the overall design has a general, broad sense of style. The base is white porcelain with a slightly bluish tinge, and the interior shows glaze dripping, and the base is irregularly rounded and deeply chipped. The base is irregularly round and deeply cut. It is estimated to have been made in the late Kanbun period, and is an early example of the so-called Kakiemon style.
