Page 53 - Sotheby's London Fine Japanese Art Nov. 2019

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The woven silk cord netting covering the white narcissus. The arrangement in the
surface of the jar is designed to protect the center of this screen features a three-legged
surface from accidental bumps. The centre gilt bronze planter containing white heron
jar of this screen is covered in brocade orchids; and on the right is a gilt tripod basket
wrapping decorated with paulownia crests. containing white lotus blossoms. On the left
The shoulder is rounded and it could be of the right screen is a gilt basket containing
considered an early import as well. The jar morning glory and chrysanthemum. The
on the right has extremely wide shoulders centre displays a gilt basket containing an
and is glazed twice. It is also shown with unidentified flower; and on the right a tall-
an ornamental net bag and was probably necked gilt basket with the “Three Friends
imported at a slightly later date. The jar on the of Winter”—pine, plum, and bamboo—is
left of the right screen is Japanese Shigaraki featured. Here, however, the pine has been
ware known as a senbei (rice cracker) jar. It substituted with red camellia.
can be dated to the late Momoyama–early The progression of tea-storage jars shown
Edo period. The centre jar represents the on the screens—from the imported ‘Luzon’
rustic Japanese taste; shown in a two-tone jar to the domestically produced Shigaraki
net bag, it has a gently rounded shape and is jar—illustrates the changing taste in tea
partly unglazed on the shoulder. On the right accoutrements, from the lavishness of the
is a jar that is eggplant-shaped and encased in Momoyama period to the more simplified
a brocade wrap decorated with gold clouds.
aesthetic preferred during the Edo period.
The six flower baskets depicted on the
alternating panels, again following the order ‡ W £ 100,000-120,000
from left to right, are also imports from € 113,000-135,000 US$ 125,000-149,000
southern China. On the far left is a gilt basket
containing rare small roses, known to have
been brought to Japan from China during
the Muromachi period (1392–1573), and

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