Saucer
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
White porcelain decorated with black, silver and gold (Hizen ware, Kutani type)
Dimensions
Diam. 4 3/4 in. (12.1 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo (1615–1868) or Meiji period (1868–1912)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase by subscription, 1879
Accession Number
79.2.1053
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate saucer, crafted in 19th-century Japan during the Edo (1615–1868) or early Meiji (1868–1912) period, exemplifies the exquisite porcelain traditions of Hizen ware in a Kutani type. Made from fine white porcelain and adorned with intricate black, silver, and gold decorations, it measures just 4 3/4 inches in diameter—perfect for serving tea or sweets in intimate settings. Hizen porcelain, produced in the Arita region of Saga Prefecture, was renowned for its technical mastery, achieved through high-fired kaolin clay and overglaze enameling techniques that allowed vibrant metallic lus...