Water jar in style of Nonomura Ninsei

Tea-ceremony water jar (mizusashi 水指).
Fluted edge. Black lacquer cover, with a red character on under side.
Clay: hard, buff, orange where exposed.
Glaze: gray-white, clouded with pinkish gray; crackled. Opaque white rice-straw ash glaze on outside; same glaze and clear ash glaze on interior.
Decoration: in blue, green, red, and gold enamels, over glaze.
Mark: Ninsei 仁清, large, without frame, stamped on base to left.

Maker(s)
Artist: Style of Nonomura Ninsei (active ca. 1646-77)
Historical period(s)
Meiji era, late 19th century
Medium
Stoneware with enamels over white glaze; black lacquer lid
Style
Kyoto ware (false Ninsei seal)
Dimensions
H x W: 10.8 x 20.1 cm (4 1/4 x 7 15/16 in)
Geography
Japan, Kyoto prefecture
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1914.15a-b
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Tea ceremony water jar (mizusashi)

Keywords
Japan, Kyoto ware, Meiji era (1868 - 1912), stoneware, tea, wave
Provenance

To 1914
William Baumgarten and Company, New York to 1914 [1]

From 1914 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from William Baumgarten and Company in 1914 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] Undated folder sheet note. See Original Pottery List, L. 2384, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[2] See note 1.

[3] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

William Baumgarten and Company (C.L. Freer source)
Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919

Description

Tea-ceremony water jar (mizusashi 水指).
Fluted edge. Black lacquer cover, with a red character on under side.
Clay: hard, buff, orange where exposed.
Glaze: gray-white, clouded with pinkish gray; crackled. Opaque white rice-straw ash glaze on outside; same glaze and clear ash glaze on interior.
Decoration: in blue, green, red, and gold enamels, over glaze.
Mark: Ninsei 仁清, large, without frame, stamped on base to left.

Marking(s)

Ninsei 仁清, large, without frame, stamped on base to left.

Label

Use of the fanciful motif of crest medallions tossed like foam on rough waves continues the style of enamel decoration invented by the Kyoto potter Ninsei (active ca. 1650–75). Many later Kyoto potters executed ceramics using Ninsei's style.

Collection Area(s)
Japanese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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