Height 30.6 cm, mouth diameter 3.5 cm, body diameter 18.6 cm, bottom diameter 14.5 cm
Important Cultural Property
This is a rare example of an inlaid Nabeshima sake bottle. It is truly elegant in both form and design, and it is no wonder that it is considered to be one of the best examples of its kind in the Iroe Nabeshima series.
The basic form of sake jars in Japan has been handed down since the Heian period (794-1185), and this jar is a rare example of a jar from the mid-Edo period that adheres to the old style. This vase is a rare example of a vase from the mid-Edo period that adheres to the old style. The completed underglaze blue and overglaze enamels suggest that it was probably made around the Genroku period. Since it is a sake bottle, it was probably dedicated to an appropriate shrine or used by a feudal lord as an item of furniture for an auspicious occasion.
The body, which shows a flowing curve from the rounded shoulders to the bottom, is graceful and elegant with a neatly raised neck.
On the fine white porcelain body, which is unique to the Okawachi ware, pine, bamboo, and plum blossoms are on one side, and tachibana and chrysanthemums are on the other side, with cranes and turtles on the left and right. The underglaze blue and line painting, as well as overglaze painting in red, yellow, light green, light purple, and other colors, are brightly and gorgeously applied. It is rare to find such a vivid example of a work incorporating a variety of auspicious designs, and it can be considered a masterpiece of perfection among Japanese overglaze porcelain works.
