Wine bottle
Unknown Artist
ca. 1750
Medium
Clay, finely crackled glaze clouded with stains; decoration in underglaze blue (Kiyomizu ware)
Dimensions
H. 8 in. (20.3 cm); Diam. 4 7/8 in. (12.4 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
H. O. Havemeyer Collection, Bequest of Mrs. H. O. Havemeyer, 1929
Accession Number
29.100.611
Art Historical Context
This elegant wine bottle, crafted around 1750 during Japan's Edo period (16151868), exemplifies the artistry of Kiyomizu from Kyoto's Kiyomizu district. Standing just 8 inches tall, it is made of clay coated in a finely crackled glaze that appears clouded with subtle stains, a hallmark technique of this pottery style. Delicate underglaze blue decorations enhance its surface, evoking the serene aesthetic of everyday yet sophisticated Japanese ceramics. Kiyomizu ware emerged in the 17th century, prized for its distinctive craquelure—those intentional fine cracks in the glaze—that create a misty...