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I picked up a stack of these a few days ago and did some research. They depict the fairy tale of Urashima Taro, who saves a small turtle from some children. The next day a big minogame turtle comes to take him across/under the sea to a princess’s dragon palace. And he is given a jeweled box, which is depicted on the back of the dish, along with a turtle. I did notice something odd. Along with the extremely nicely drawn scene (in my opinion), the man’s left hand is a fairly horrible attempt. And where the right arm/hand should be, it seems the artist just gave up and left it empty after failing miserably on the left hand. Its the same on all the dishes.
I do remember reading or learning at some point that artists in general could not paint hands up until a certain point in history. Not sure which century it was that they figured it out. But this dish is maybe just 100 years old, surprising that an artist at this level had no idea how to do it.
Todd
take it with a grain of salt
Hand or no hand it is a beautiful plate. Did you got it as a gift while doing calligraphy with the Fu Manchu mustache? I think so ! :))
Regards
Michael
Hi Mark,
Six, all the same. Basically mint condition, seems like nobody has ever touched them. I only cleaned one so far though..don’t worry, no ammonia. I have heard Peter say that about 20 times I think.
I added a painting the dishes may have been based on.
take it with a grain of salt
I think you maybe correct. They all look in such great shape!
Would look really impressive when you have one or more on display.
Mark
It is a beautiful set and I love the story. I recall an art professor looking at a drawing I did in the nineteen sixties and saying, hands are difficult. I replied, people who wear suede vests are difficult and their hands too.
Hey Todd,
Beautiful set - pristine condition, too. You must be thrilled to have gotten a whole 6 of them!
Imo you and Mark are spot on for the suggested age: Early Showa (around nearly 100 years like you said!) due to the two character "standard" Kutani mark used predominately in examples seen from the 1930s and post-war.
Weirdly enough, I too have heard the "hands" statement - but over time I've come to disregard it to a degree; and more or less chalk it up to the amount of mass export/industry that kiln was experiencing during said timeframe. I've seen developed features on many early Meiji pieces even now that I think on it.
In the 30s, this would make sense as Kutani basically kept slanting upwards in popularity ever since the Meiji period - despite other Japanese ceramics (Kyō pieces, Satsuma, ect) having varying degrees of output/demand and popularity fluctuate up and down over the early 20th century.
Provided is my example of a mid 30s two-mark Kutani plate, (but in far less of an artistic ability and preserved condition as yours) with no hands/sloppy enameling/detailing and all-around lesser quality than whichever kiln was producing yours and others at the time.
Compare this to the set of very late Meiji-Taishō Kutani plates I have from maybe 1 (at max 2) decades prior. Fingers, facial emotions/features, and even folds in the clothes of some of the applied figural work.
Extremely well rendered in my eyes.
Yet, I've seen pieces from this same timeframe look more like abstract art than the attempted depiction also. Due to the vast amount of independent or community kilns in Japan, the quality for many periods and styles varies considerably with other factors included as well is what I've found.
Always keeps you guessing, that's for sure!
Hope you enjoy that beautiful set! Well worth a nice display imo
Best regards,
-JRN
Sharon, Haha, yes hands are difficult...and sometimes people too.
JRN,
Yes, very happy to find them. I’m always somewhat surprised when something like that is just sitting on a shelf for anyone to buy, and it is still there waiting for me when I arrive. But it happens time and again.
I really like that second dish, looks like they are having a celebration. And the quality is very high, I agree. Very nice. I can definitely see a major difference in quality between the 1st and 2nd dishes, as you state. Also, the Japanese flag is unusual for that time period I think(and adds to the value I’d guess). Later in the 1930s it became much more prevalent, as I’m sure you know.
Best, Todd
take it with a grain of salt
@watership
I agree! I had argued with my friend (who is much more impressively well versed at this than me) the entirety of their transit that they were post 1930 because, as you stated, the prevalence of that flag! It's weird because I'm pretty sure the leftmost one (anchor) is an earlier version of their Naval Corps flag; but there are also both attributes of imperial navy flags (1890s-1940s if my memory serves me correct) and army flags throughout the set (I got 5 of them! Lady's parents were missionaries in Japan and they had stayed in the family ever sense). Also the garbs/outfits on the figural imagery resembles that more of Pre-WW2 navy officers..
He said that late Meiji period pieces and especially Taishō tended to depict strong national imagery - which adds to the larger context of the time period. I think ceramics are just expensive puzzles for history geeks and art enthusiasts at times 😆
Something really, really neat, to observe on your set: Look at the "cutaway"/"fan" panels on the topmost side, featuring the mountains within the borders! There's a subtle but also very noticeable (after you look for it) difference in each mountain scape! They are so delicately rendered they almost look airbrushed!! And on that note: same for the waves! Delicately done, but look at the depth and texture it offers as a result of the artisan finishing them with such close attention to detail. These weren't made in a rushed manner compared to some others..
Honestly think pieces like these are a fantastic value for the artwork alone - it's so neat you were able to tie it to story and subsequently the painting as well.
Also always have the thought of "wow how were they overlooked and left for me to come scoop up?" but, as I'm sure you can relate to, offer very little complaint with results like those!
Thanks again for sharing friend,
-JRN
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