Dish with molded design of parable of filial piety and inscribed poem

Eight-lobed dish
Clay: porcelain.
Glaze: transparent, slightly bluish. Four spur marks on base.
Decoration: scene from the 14th example of filial piety–Yang Hsiang saving his father from the tiger–molded on the interior of the dish. Interspersed in the design, title and four-stanza poem written in underglaze cobalt. Underglaze cobalt dots circling inner edge of rim. Molded “rope” band just inside raised edge of rim, following lobed contour of rim. Rim edged in underglaze iron. On base, single ring of underglaze cobalt inside footrim, surrounding square-framed character fuku ^j^
Mark: not marked.

Historical period(s)
Edo period, 1760-1790
Medium
Porcelain with cobalt pigment under clear colorless glaze, iron pigment on rim
Style
Arita ware
Dimensions
H x W x D: 21 x 21 x 21 cm (8 1/4 x 8 1/4 x 8 1/4 in)
Geography
Japan, Saga prefecture, Arita, Nangawara
Credit Line
Gift of Mrs. Joe M. Blumberg
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1985.15
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Ceramic, Vessel
Type

Dish

Keywords
Arita ware, cobalt pigment, Edo period (1615 - 1868), filial piety, Japan, poems, porcelain, tiger
Provenance

To 1985
Mrs. Joe M. Blumberg, Bethesda, Maryland. [1]

From 1985
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Mrs. Joe M. Blumberg, Bethesda, Maryland. [2]

Notes:

[1] See Deed of Gift, Collections Management Office.

[2] See note 1.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Mrs. Joe M. Blumberg

Description

Eight-lobed dish
Clay: porcelain.
Glaze: transparent, slightly bluish. Four spur marks on base.
Decoration: scene from the 14th example of filial piety--Yang Hsiang saving his father from the tiger--molded on the interior of the dish. Interspersed in the design, title and four-stanza poem written in underglaze cobalt. Underglaze cobalt dots circling inner edge of rim. Molded "rope" band just inside raised edge of rim, following lobed contour of rim. Rim edged in underglaze iron. On base, single ring of underglaze cobalt inside footrim, surrounding square-framed character fuku ^j^
Mark: not marked.

Inscription(s)

1. (L.A. Cort, 1985) The poem inscribed on the plate reads:

Yang Hsiang

Deep in the mountains they meet the white browed [tiger]
With all his might he battles the rank-smelling [beast]
Father and son together escape harm
He snatches the body from the mouth.
(^c^)

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