Lidded Jar with Peonies
Seifū Yohei III (Japanese, 1851–1914)
1897–1912
- Medium
- Porcelain with molded and carved design and underglaze color
- Classification
- Ceramic
- Dimensions
- height: 27 cm (10 5/8 in.); Diameter: 26.4 cm (10 3/8 in.)
- Culture
- Japan, Meiji period (1868–1912)
- Museum
- Cleveland Museum of Art, Japanese Art
- Credit line
- Gift of James and Christine Heusinger
- Rights
- Public domain (CC0), as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Little Ones profiles and older: it shows gentle subjects for the very young. How works are placed
View at the Cleveland Museum of Art
About this work
The petals of the large, white peonies on this jar were made by applying molded clay to the body and incising the clay with lines for definition. The flowers’ centers were then painted with yellow, along with the leaves in cobalt blue line and wash. A subtle blue gradation was also added all around the flowers using a masking method. The lid, with its treasured jewel-shaped finial, was also decorated with foliate motifs in underglaze cobalt blue. Finally, a transparent glaze was applied over the entire body of both the jar and lid. It is a special demonstration of Yohei III’s use of precision and control to create a completely balanced composition.
