RESERVED.
A rare Arita "Benkei and The Giant Carp" figural ewer modelled in the form of a Japanese warrior riding a giant carp, decorated in underglaze blue, and enamelled in the Kakiemon palette of red, green, purple, and black enamels with gilt highlights, the carp's mouth agape for pouring liquid and with apertures in the warrior's kimono sleeves for filling the vessel
Arita kiln, Kakiemon type enamelling, Hizen province, Japan
Edo period (late 17th / early 18th century)circa 1700
Note: Identical examples of this model can be found in The Ashmolean Museum (Oxford), The Princessehof Museum (Leeuwarden), and The National Museum of Korea (Seoul).
A rare and superbly intact Arita figure of "Benkei and The Giant Carp", modelled in the form of a young Japanese warrior riding astride a giant carp naturalistically moulded with scales, bulging eyes, undulating whiskers and decorated in underglaze blue with patches of gilding, the boy wearing an iron-red warriors cloth band tied around his head, his expression showing fierce determination, his body clad in a kimono which has slipped off his left shoulder, his sleeves billowing and pierced open, his kimono enamelled in the Kakiemon palette with green and aubergine spots, black obi and bordered with iron-red trim.
The carp's mouth agape indicating that the original design of the model may have been as a vessel or ewer for pouring liquid, with apertures in the warrior's kimono sleeves for filling the jug and the open mouth of the carp for pouring. The tail of the carp is pierced on the top side, likely for a rigid suspension rope or handle.
Flat, unglazed base with textile imprint marks.
The figure depicts a story of the legendary 12th century hero BenKei (named Oniwakamaru in his youth) who was famous for supernatural strength equivalent to one hundred men, and known in Japanese folklore for his association with Minamoto Yoshisune and the famous battle of Gojo Bridge.
With a Japanese paulownia wood storage box and double ribbon tie.
Measurements
25.0 cm long, 14.5 cm high, 7.8 cm wide
Condition
In superb original condition with only minor rubbing to the gilding and some minor areas of the enamels.
An exceptionally fine Arita "Benkei and The Giant Carp" figural ewer, circa 1700
RESERVED.
For more information, please contact
BARASET HOUSE FINE ART
416 666 6295
info@barasethouse.com
Comparables:
Two identical bowls were sold at Bonhams (Old Bond St, London) Fine Japanese Art, 6 November 2007, lot 348 "Early porcelain - A pair of matching Kakiemon bowls c1650-70".
Additional information
Arita: The Kyushu Ceramic Museum The Voyage of Old Imari Porcelains (exhibition catalogue: The Kyushu Ceramic Museum 2000) cat. 243.
Impey, Oliver, Japanese Export Porcelain: Catalogue of the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2002). An almost identical example listed as catalogue no. 297 on p. 187, illus. p. 187.
Jorg, Christiaan J. A. Fine & Curious: Japanese Export Porcelain in Dutch Collections' (Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2003). An almost identical example illustrated on page 284, no. 359.
Oxford: Ashmolean Museum, 18 July-13 September 1981, and London: Sotheby Parke Bernet, 1981, Eastern Ceramics and Other Works of Art from the Collection of Gerald Reitlinger: Catalogue of the Memorial Exhibition, Deborah Willis, ed. (Oxford: Ashmolean Museum and London: Sotheby Parke Bernet, 1981). An almost identical example listed as catalogue no. 226 on p. 84, illus. p. 84.
Shimizu, C. La porcelaine Japonaise (Paris, 2002), p.99.