bavarikon4UNotice
This object originates from colonial contexts and demands an examination of colonial history. bavarikon is displaying this object in order to enable and promote, among other things, a critical, sensitive examination of colonial history. As the operator of bavarikon, the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library) would like to point out that the acquisition of the object by the acquiring or holding institution or its predecessors or by persons may have been unethical or unlawful by contemporary standards.
Description
The lidded vase was made around 1700 in the Japanese city of Arita. It has an octagonal, bulbous shape and a domed lid. Its knob was designed in the shape of a golden eagle sitting on a rock. The animal was a favourite motif of the samurai.
Various techniques were used in the painting of the vase: underglaze cobalt blue painting, overglaze enamel painting in the colours red, pale green and ochre yellow, and gold painting. The colours cobalt blue, red and gold are considered the typical Imari colours. There are round ornaments on the rim of the lid and the neck of the vase. The lid, the shoulder and the foot of the vase are decorated with clouds around them. On the shoulder and the foot of the vase there are additional depictions of hares and cranes. The body of the vase is also decorated with birds. Two phoenixes can be seen here. They are depicted in a landscape with flowers, pines and paulownia trees. The bottom of the vase is white and without a mark. The vase’s base rim is unglazed.
The famous Imari porcelain was produced in Arita. It was brought to Nagasaki via the port of Imari. From there, the porcelain produced for export was shipped on to Europe by the Dutch East India Company.
The vase is considered one of the early pieces in the East Asian collection of the von Luxburg family. According to sources, it was acquired in 1876 by Friedrich Graf von Luxburg (1829-1905) from the Munich antiquarian Drey.