An Arita jar and cover, late 17th Century.

The oviform body of the jar, which is 31.5cm in height, 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.