Large 19th Century Early Japanese Cloisonne Charger

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The introduction of beautiful cloisonné objects from Japan was greatly affected by the 1854 treaty signed between Commodore Perry and … Read more The introduction of beautiful cloisonné objects from Japan was greatly affected by the 1854 treaty signed between Commodore Perry and the Japanese authorities which opened trade between the two countries. The Japanese Emperor welcomed the influence of Western Culture and he ended many of the old established traditions. Samurais were not allowed to carry swords, people were encouraged to wear western clothes, and the society was disrupted. Sword makers and metalsmiths were promptly out of work, making it necessary to turn their skills somewhere. In this background came the art of cloisonné - the art of creating designs using color glass powders around tiny copper wires on copper forms and firing them in the correct temperatures to become beautiful art objects. The art of enameling was not unknown in Japan, there were sword guards and smaller objects made by this method. The full scale production of cloisonné was encouraged by a German who helped the metalsmiths set up shops and factories to produce works of art. The early production turned out wares with a matt finish, quite unlike the glassy finish of modern cloisonne.

This large charger is rare for its size. The theme of the design is floral and fauna - there is a white heron among lotus blossoms, a butterfly buzzing around peonies and a praying mantis among the morning glories. Chains of blue flowers and green leaves intertwine among the white background encircled by a floral rim of maroon flowers. On the white background are continuous vines covered with tiny blue and white and maroon flowers The back of the charger is decorated with a repeat pattern of interlocking fancy "commas" or scroll designs. There is a ring foot.

The work on this charger is intricate, and great attention to details. The time spent on making this piece is considerable. Each color has to be fired by itself. Naturally the colors that required the highest temperature has to be fired first, and the ones with the lowest melting point to be fired last. There is no room for error, and this is altogether a very beautifully made work of art made and greatly influenced japonisme, See less