c. 1660-1680

Sake Bottle (Tokkuri)

The technique of applying enamel decoration to porcelain came to Japan from China through the port of Nagasaki, probably around 1650. Successive generations of potters using the name Kakiemon became the recognized masters of this technique, which they had perfected by the time of Kakiemon IV (1640-1679). For this tokkuri, or sake bottle, the artists used a striking cobalt blue for the lions, along with an azure blue, a soft orange/red, and a pale yellow for the floral vines and chrysanthemums. This piece is unusual both for its shape and large size.