Pair of Satsuma vases; Japan, 19th century.

Pair of Satsuma vases; Japan, 19th century.
Glazed ceramic.
Measurements: 27 x 15 cm.

Pair of trumpet-shaped Satsuma vases, decorated with Buddhist scenes, very elaborate and of great quality. Satsuma pottery is made since the early eighteenth century on the island of Kyushuu, and was a type of great Korean influence, as in fact it was even brought to the Korean potters pottery. 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 for export in the nineteenth century, already produced in Awata, will have a greater importance. The paste is not porcelain, but a very light, porous light terracotta. The glaze is feldspathic, mixed with wood ash. The most characteristic feature of Satsuma pottery is its decorative richness, sometimes even exaggerated. Generally, the motifs are brushed in golden 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. In addition, these are very thick glazes, which even have relief, as we see in these pieces. Regarding the decorative motifs, they were very varied, from the floral ones that dominate the domestic production to the figurative ones, the most common in the pieces destined for export.