Yamamoto Choza Octagonal Ai-Kutani Vase, Auspicious Pine-Bamboo-Plum-Chrysanthemum, 24.5 cm

An eight-sided porcelain vase by Yamamoto Choza, each face painted in cobalt with pine, bamboo, plum and chrysanthemum.

Yamamoto Choza is a Kutani painter supplying the Imperial Household Agency and, in the dealer's words, one of the representative artists of the ware. He works in ai-Kutani, reviving the indigo-blue strand of old Kutani in a contemporary idiom of exceptionally fine brushwork. The octagonal form carries the idea of protection from all eight directions, and the four plants are classic auspicious subjects in Japanese decoration. At 24.5 cm with a narrow mouth, it suits a single branch or a few stems, or stands well empty in a tokonoma or on a shelf.

Details

• Artist: Yamamoto Choza (山本長左), Kutani
• Title: Seika kisshō-mon (青華吉祥文), 8-go octagonal vase
• Material: porcelain
• Size: approx. 14.5 cm wide × 24.5 cm high; mouth 6.5 cm
• Box: wooden box with cord (木箱紐通し)
• Condition: new

Watch: how Kutani porcelain is painted

A TEWAZA craft film showing Kutani ware techniques, from Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square. (A general craft video — not this piece or maker.)

Please read before ordering

• Limited availability. We confirm availability with the dealer in Japan within one business day of your order; if it has sold we refund in full immediately.
• Ships from New Jersey in 2–3 weeks. Price includes all import duties. Fully insured, signature required.
• Professionally double-boxed for shipping.