Height 8.0cm, Diameter 19.5 x 20.1cm, Tripod
This is a flat bowl with an interesting design of paulownia leaves, and it has legs attached to three sides of the base. Commonly referred to as “a single paulownia leaf”, it is one of the representative works of Niami Michihachi. The veins of the paulownia leaf are carved in line, and the tip of the leaf is folded inwards to form a flat bowl, while the leaf stalk is raised in relief. The inside of the bowl is painted with a clever gradation of iron and underglaze blue, giving a good impression of the weathered leaves, and after being glazed and fired, gold is added. The “Momoyama” gourd-shaped seal is stamped on the inside, but this seal is used on the works of the Momoyama Kiln, which was established by the artist in his later years when he handed over the family headship to his eldest son, Michihachi, and retired to the Edo district of Fushimi-Momoyama. A conch shell seal is stamped in the center of the bottom.
