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tice is documented in the personal chroni- dishes were made in one of a limited range ular set. Many Nabeshima designs were
cle of Nabeshima Shigemochi (1733-1770). of sizes. The dishes in this set are medium- lifted from contemporary design pattern
The entry for the seventeenth day of the sized, referred to in terms of the old Japa- books or adapted from textiles and maki-e
sixth month of the second year of Meiwa nese measurement system as seven sun, an lacquer wares.
[1765] records a ten-day visit by Shige- especially practical and popular size manu- Although porcelains painted with
mochi to his daimyo counterpart in Oda- factured in quantity and decorated in overglaze enamels are the most renowned
wara (currently part of Kanagawa matching sets. Reminiscent of the con- of the Nabeshima kiln products, extremely
Prefecture), during which time Shige- temporary lacquer tablewares with which fine pieces decorated only with underglaze
mochi presented a gift of ceramics. they were used, the dishes have a shallow blue were also produced, such as the dish
Details regarding the early history of bowl fitted with a relatively tall ring foot. decorated with a pine tree motif (cat. 259).
official Nabeshima clan porcelain kilns are The design, concentrated away from Its size, one shaku, is the largest of the
unclear. A mid-Meiji-period document the center, depicts a cherry tree in full most common Nabeshima dish sizes. The
based on older kiln-related clan materials bloom, employing all of the typical Na- stylized pine adapts well to the same type
relates that two porcelain-producing kilns beshima colors except celadon green and of centrifugal composition seen in cat. 258.
predating the Okawachi kiln fired wares brown. Fingerlike roots anchor a great Its jagged yet gracefully twisting trunk and
for the Nabeshima daimyo. The first, at trunk that throws off several twisting branches are outlined in blue and then
Iwayagawachi, was superseded by a sec- branches, the outline and details described filled in with a uniformly smooth coat of
ond at Nangawara. At these two early with a dark underglaze blue and filled in light blue. Attached to the branches are
kilns, it is thought that special wares for with a lighter blue tone. The petals of the overlapping circles of precisely drawn,
the daimyo were produced on order, blossoms are described with a fine red line stiff, radiating pine needles in dark blue.
though the strict clan control over all that is also used for the interior detail of In place of a ring foot, three evenly spaced
phases of kiln activities that was so promi- the flowers, while the petals themselves projecting feet, crafted in the shape of
nent at the Okawachi kiln had not yet are white, the porcelain left in reserve. scalloped leaves and covered with under-
been established. The leaves are colored with overglaze ap- glaze blue, support the dish. Other three-
Many of the typical characteristics of plications of green and yellow. This design legged dishes of this type, all characterized
Nabeshima porcelains are evident in the was one of many recorded in a design book by especially fine workmanship, suggest
set of five dishes in the Tokyo National maintained by the Nabeshima clan, where that these vessels were made on order for
Museum (cat. 258). Most Nabeshima it is dated to 1718, though, due to the fre- particularly important occasions. AMW
quent repetition of designs, it cannot be
assumed that this is the date of this partic-

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