Our featured work of art for the month of February is this imposing and beautifully decorated Satsuma vase by Kinkozan. (As with all our blogs and articles, you can click on any of the images below to take a closer look at the piece in question.)
We have chosen this piece for its unusual combination of fine, high-quality painting on a large vase (it is 46cm in height) as well as the uncommon polychrome foliate decoration on the otherwise trademark Kinkozan dark blue background.
It is often the case with Satsuma works, that the finest painting was reserved for smaller in size, (cabinet) pieces. Perhaps this was because there was one eye on the length of time and effort it would take the artist to decorate much larger pieces. This vase is an exception to that rule, with great care taken to decorate the two large, main scenes. On the front, a group of ducks swimming on a lake and surrounded by large, flowering Pampas grass. The grass swaying in the breeze.
Across Japan, ducks are a popular symbol of happiness and marital fidelity. They have featured on works of art, Kimono patterns, poetry and literature for Centuries.
On the reverse, a splendid Pheasant preens itself on the branches of a blossoming Cherry Tree.
The Pheasant is an important bird in the Shinto religion. It is a messenger for Amaterasu the Sun Goddess and as such is seen a symbol of luck, longevity and fidelity.
Lower down at ground level, another Pheasant looks upwards as a group of song-birds fly among the blooms of the Sakura, (Cherry Blossom).
Cherry blossom is one of the most iconic and instantly recognised symbols of Japan. It is beautiful but short-lived and is a representation of Spring – a time of renewal but also a reminder of the fleeting nature of life. You can read our blog about Sakura by Clicking Here.
There is much to enjoy about this vase, notably, we feel, the beautiful, polychrome design that sits on the classical Kinkozan dark blue ground on the body of the vase that surrounds the two main panels.
Typically, the foliate decoration on a Kinkozan vase would be pure Gold, but the artist here has used reds, orange, turquoise and blue to create a vibrant yet restrained background decoration that, it can be argued, steals the focus from the two large painted scenes.
The scale of the vase. (an impressive 46cm in height), is highlighted well in the below image as it towers over one of our coffee mugs.
Kinkozan is one of the most recognised names in the history of Japanese Satsuma production and their dynasty dates back to the middle of the 17th Century in a suburb of Kyoto.
By 1756, Kobayashi Kihei (the third generation of the family) became the official ceramicist for the Tokugawa Shogunate and it was then, that the name “Kinkozan” was given.
When the Emperor Meiji came to the throne in 1868, Japan began exporting its wares to the rest of the world. At this point, Kobayashi (Kinkozan) Sobei was running the rapidly-growing family enterprise and he oversaw great success in selling their products to the West and most notably to the profitable North American market. The small studio expanded and a large-scale factory was built. It is reported that by the beginning of the 20th Century, the business employed around a thousand people and had produced over a million different works.
Here is the internationally-recognised mark of Kinkozan, as found on the underside of this wonderful vase.
In a quiet area behind the factory, smaller studios surrounded by beautifully manicured Japanese gardens were built to accommodate the most talented decorators and artists including the likes of Sozan and Hozan.
Kinkozan Sobei died in 1884 but the success of the company continued into the 20th Century with Kinkozan winning numerous awards at International expositions and fairs in Paris, Hanoi, Milan, London and Turin. Production finally ceased in 1927 with the passing of the son of Kinkozan Sobei, Kinkozan V.
These days, the Kinkozan Company is known around the world for being the single most prolific producer of Japanese Satsuma during the reign of Emperor Meiji. Works are often recognisable by the use of a trademark dark blue enamel background combined with pure gold decoration and Kinkozan works include vases, Koro, figurines, (Okimono), bowls, dishes and tea-services.
You can browse through a selection of Kinkozan Satsuma ware from our collection of antique Japanese ceramics by clicking on any of the images below.
You can enjoy a video slide-show of our Featured work of Art for this month by pressing play on the video below.
We hope you found this article interesting. You can browse through over 100 blog posts and stories inspired by our collection of Chinese and Japanese Fine Art and Antiques by Clicking Here.
