National Treasure
Height 18.0cm, Length 47.6cm
Ishikawa Prefectural Art Museum
Insei was not only a master of the potter’s wheel, but also had extraordinary skill in carving and sculpture. Since it is not known what kind of organization Omuroyaki Ninsei’s kiln was, it is impossible to determine whether or not Ninsei I, a master of the potter’s wheel, showed extraordinary skill in craftsmanship. A gorgeous male pheasant is beautifully decorated as an incense burner.
Together with “Tea Jar with Wisteria Flowers in Overglaze Enamels,” this work is designated as a National Treasure, and is a rare masterpiece among all the works left by Ninsei.
The glaze is carefully and evenly applied, and the overglaze painting is meticulously applied in every detail. The body of the censer is made of an incense burner, and the back has four holes in the shape of feathers, with the inside of the body and part of the back glazed with glaze.
It was once in the collection of the Yamakawa family, an old Kanazawa family, and was donated by the previous owner, Yamakawa Shotaro, on the occasion of the founding of the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art.
