Cup
Unknown Artist
18th century
Medium
White porcelain decorated with iron red, gold and black (Hizen ware, Kutani type)
Dimensions
H. 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm); W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase by subscription, 1879
Accession Number
79.2.1339
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite 18th-century cup, crafted during Japan's Edo period (16151868), exemplifies the artistry of Hizen ware a Kutani type. Standing just 3⅞ inches tall and 2¾ inches wide, this petite white porcelain vessel is adorned with vibrant iron-red, gold, and blackels, featuring motifs of men amid flowing leaves. Produced in the Hizen province (modern-day Saga), such wares emerged from Arita kilns, where potters mastered high-fired porcelain prized for its translucency and durability. Hizen porcelain, often called Imari in export form, revolutionized Japanese ceramics by blending Chinese inf...