JAR, porcelain with lotus design in underglaze cobalt-blue and copper-red paint 青花辰砂 蓮花文 壺せいかしんしゃ れんかもん つぼ

Description

Leaving ample white space, the lotuses stretch their stems gracefully and the leaves are washed with pale cobalt blue. Copper-oxide red pigment added to the lotus petals and buds make them stand out. Although very few in number, there are examples of blue-and-white porcelain with underglaze copper-red or iron-brown decoration like this work, which were produced at the 18th-century Gwangju official kiln. This work, well-known for having been formerly owned by Asakawa Noritaka, is considered to be the finest among its counterpart. Not only the eminence of the expression of the motif but also the partial discoloration of the copper red into green adds exceptional appeal and elegance to the work. Lotus was a popular motif often adopted in the decorations of stationery and vessels of the literati. This work is thought to have been produced at the Bunwon-ri kiln in Gwangju-si, Gyeonggi-do.