An Arita jar and cover, Japanese, late 17th Century.

The oviform body is painted in underglaze cobalt blue and decorated with three lobed panels, each framing birds and a different floral subject, peony, pine and prunus.

The panels are separated by pendant floral ornaments and the shoulders embellished with a band of ‘3’ shaped lappets below a cash collar.

The short neck is bound by rudimentary lappets and the domed, button-knopped cover is decorated in a manner concordant with the main body.

The cobalt shows a wide range of tones, from almost sky-blue to a near purplish hue, and in some places has fired black, 31.5cm high.

REFERENCE: CER0362

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