Bodhisattva figure with a fish. Japan, Meiji period, ca. 1900

Bodhisattva figure with a fish. Japan, Meiji period, ca. 1900.
Hand-painted Satsuma pottery.
Signed on the base.
Measurements: 50 x 16 x 14 cm.

The symbolism of a Bodhisattva with a fish in Meiji period Japan relates almost exclusively to the figure of Kannon Bosatsu (Avalokiteshvara), the Bodhisattva of Compassion, specifically in her manifestation as a Fishwife or Kannon with a Basket of Fish (Gyoran Kannon). The piece in bidding stands out for the profuse ornamentation of the robe that the deity wears, as well as her serene and paused face.

Satsuma ware has been made since the early 18th century on the island of Kyushu, and was a type of pottery with a strong Korean influence, as it was even brought to Korean potters. In the second half of the 18th century it became so popular in Japan that the production center was moved to Awata, near Kyoto. Thus, there is a local production in the eighteenth century, although the pieces destined for export in the nineteenth century, already produced in Awata, will have a greater importance. The most characteristic feature of Satsuma ceramics is its decorative richness, sometimes even exaggerated. Generally, the motifs are brushed in gold glaze, a novelty compared to previous styles. In addition, the ornamentation is completed with a wide variety of polychrome glazes: green, red, white, turquoise, pink and, above all, "gosu" blue, the most sought after of all, with a very dark tone and typical of the best Satsuma of the 19th century. As for the decorative motifs, they were very varied, from the floral motifs that dominated domestic production to the figurative ones, the most common in the pieces destined for export.