A Nabeshima Ware Ceramic Dish From The Edo Period

This magnificent large ceramic dish showcases the delicate beauty and technical mastery of Nabeshima ware (鍋島焼), one of Japan’s most esteemed ceramic traditions. Originating in the early Edo period, Nabeshima ware was produced at the Okawachi Kilns under the patronage of the Nabeshima clan. Originally intended as tribute items for the shogunate and high-ranking samurai, these pieces epitomise both refined aesthetics and unparalleled craftsmanship.

Nabeshima ware is a distinctive offshoot of Imari ware (伊万里焼), Japan’s first porcelain, which began production in the 1610s in Arita, Saga Prefecture. While Imari ware enjoyed widespread domestic and international distribution, particularly to Europe from the late 17th to early 18th centuries, Nabeshima ware remained a closely guarded secret of the Nabeshima domain, signifying its exclusivity and high status.

This particular dish, known as the Large Dish with Wisteria Trellis Design (色絵藤棚文大皿), is an exceptional example of Iro-Nabeshima (色鍋島), a subcategory known for its vivid polychrome enamel decoration. The plate’s form, called Mokuhai-gata (木盃形), resembles a wooden sake cup, with a high foot and a wide, rounded surface. Measuring one shaku (approx. 30 cm) in diameter, this is the largest size within the established range for such dishes, emphasising its grandeur.

The design features a wisteria trellis—an elegant depiction of cascading wisteria flowers framed by a bamboo trellis. The artist skillfully employs sometsuke (染付), a blue underglaze technique, to outline the bamboo structures, lending a sense of stability and rhythm. The Genji cloud motif (源氏雲), depicted in deep cobalt, serves as a calm, atmospheric backdrop that enhances the vibrancy of the floral motif.

One of the most remarkable features is the use of negative space to represent the flowers. Instead of directly colouring the wisteria blossoms, the artist outlines them with red overglaze and leaves the pure white porcelain to stand as the petals. This technique, paired with the delicate red vines, imparts a sense of lightness and motion, as if the flowers are swaying in the breeze. The nuanced colour layering and the soft gradient from blue to white demonstrate the technical precision characteristic of Nabeshima ware.

The dish’s composition and curvature are meticulously planned, allowing the motif to adapt seamlessly to the rounded, outwardly curving surface. Such an intricate and harmonious design could only be achieved by artisans with a profound understanding of the ceramic medium and the natural world.

Representing the pinnacle of Nabeshima craftsmanship, this large dish is not just a functional object but a work of art that bridges practicality and aesthetic contemplation. It serves as a powerful reminder of how ceramic artistry in the Edo period transcended mere utility, evolving into a medium of cultural expression and aristocratic refinement.

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