Meiji Japanese Brown-Glazed Brush Pot With Humorous Figural Scenes

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A Japanese stoneware brush pot dating to the Meiji period (circa 1890–1915), decorated with two humorous domestic scenes rendered in … Read more A Japanese stoneware brush pot dating to the Meiji period (circa 1890–1915), decorated with two humorous domestic scenes rendered in underglaze and slip. One panel depicts a woman grooming a seated man, while the opposite side shows a woman cleaning a man’s ear; a small cat appears as a secondary figure within the composition. The cylindrical form is finished in a warm iron-brown glaze with a raised slip-decorated band at the rim and a contrasting cream-glazed interior. Signed “Ushijima” (牛島) on the base, indicating work by a small studio potter or decorator active during the period.

COLLECTOR'S NOTE
Comic ear-cleaning (mimikaki) and grooming scenes were familiar motifs in Meiji popular culture, often depicted with affectionate exaggeration. Drawn from illustrated humor books and earlier giga sketch traditions, these small narrative scenes frequently appeared on objects intended for scholars and readers—items meant to entertain as much as serve a practical function.
The signature Ushijima (牛島) reflects a late-Meiji practice in which individual decorators or small workshop potters signed pieces independently rather than using formal kiln marks. Such signatures are typically associated with limited-production wares and offer insight into the personal craftsmanship behind each object. The raised slip decoration at the rim aligns with Seto–Mino experimentation of the period, where textured surface treatments were used to add visual emphasis and tactile interest.

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