Large Japanese Edo Period Master of the Rocks Porcelain Charger Bowl

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An outstanding and exceptionally large Japanese blue and white porcelain shallow bowl, dating to the Edo period and believed to … Read more An outstanding and exceptionally large Japanese blue and white porcelain shallow bowl, dating to the Edo period and believed to have been produced during the 18th century. Measuring an impressive 40 cm in diameter, the bowl is distinguished not only by its monumental scale but particularly by the exceptional quality of its underglaze cobalt-blue decoration. The cobalt has remarkable depth and richness, while the sophistication and precision of the painting demonstrate an exceptionally accomplished level of craftsmanship. The principal subject is the celebrated "Master of the Rocks" theme, a dramatic landscape style strongly associated with Chinese porcelain of the Kangxi period. Here, the subject has been interpreted within the tradition of Japanese porcelain, producing a particularly striking example of the artistic relationship between Chinese and Japanese ceramic decoration. The underside bears an apocryphal mark referring to the Chinese Chenghua Emperor (1465–1487). Such earlier Chinese reign marks were used on Japanese porcelain during the 17th and 18th centuries as references to admired earlier Chinese ceramics and should not be interpreted as indicating a Ming-period date of manufacture. The combination of exceptional scale, unusual shallow form, intensely coloured cobalt decoration and sophisticated landscape painting gives this bowl considerable visual presence. At 40 cm across and 10 cm deep, it is an imposing example of early Japanese porcelain and a particularly impressive object for display. A rare opportunity to acquire a monumental Edo-period Japanese porcelain bowl of exceptional decorative quality. Period Edo Period Date of Manufacture 18th Century Mark Apocryphal Chinese Chenghua reign mark (1465–1487) Dimensions Diameter: 40 cm (16 inches) Depth: 10 cm (4 inches) See less