Page 59 - Sotheby's May 14, 2019 Fine Japanese Art. London

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A KAKIEMON DISH
EDO PERIOD, LATE 17 TH CENTURY
柿右衛門 色絵八角皿、江戸時代、17世紀後期
of octagonal form decorated in iron-red, green blue
and black enamels and gilt, with design of Sima Guang
resucing his drowning companion from a water jar, the
wide rim with karakusa and flowerheads
23.9 cm., 9¼ in.
the scene depicts the historian and statesman of the Song
dynasty Sima Guang (1019–1086) rescuing his drowning
friend from a larger jar, throwing stones to break it. The
story was popular in the seventeenth century and Meissen
reproduced the pattern in around 1730. The English
Chelsea factory produced the pattern, becoming known as
“Hob in the Well” around 1755.
For other Kakiemon-style, Meissen and Chelsea octagonal
dishes see Nagatake Takeshi, Yabe Yoshiaki and Minamoto
Hiromichi, eds., Kakiemon no sekai: genryu kara gendai
made (Exhibition of the world of Kakiemon: from its origins
to the present), exh. cat. (Tokyo, 1983), pls. 148–50.
John Ayers et al., Porcelain for Palaces: The Fashion for
Japan in Europe 1650–1750, exh. cat. (London, Oriental
Ceramic Society and British Museum, 1990), pls. 122, 192,
and 193.
For a circular dish fired in Japan and enamelled in the
Netherlands see Charlotte Rappard-Boon et al. Imitation
and Inspiration: Japanese Influence on Dutch Art From
1650 to the Present (Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, 1992), pl.
15.
For other Japanese examples see: Soame Jenyns,
Japanese Porcelain (London, 1965), no. 76c; Alexandra
Munroe and Naomi Noble Richards, eds., The Burghley
Porcelains, exh. cat. (New York: Japan Society, Inc., 1986),
pl. 100.
‡ £ 15,000-20,000
€ 17,700-23,500 US$ 19,900-26,500

68
A VIENNA DISH
18 TH CENTURY
ウィーン工房製 色絵八角皿、18世紀
the octagonal soft-paste dish decorated in polychrome
enamels and gilt with the “Hob in the well” design
19cm., 7½ in. diam.
The Sima Guang design (see lot 67) was reproduced by
the Vienna factory in the late eighteenth century. The
design closely imitates the Kakiemon prototype (see lot
67). The pattern has been known since the Chelsea factory
produced the design around 1755 by the name ‘Hob in the
well,’ apparently after a popular play called “Flora or Hob
in the well” published by Thomas Doggett in 1698 and
adapted by Colley Cibber in 1711.
‡ £ 1,500-2,000
€ 1,800-2,350 US$ 2,000-2,650

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