Satsuma vase; Japan, 19th century.

Satsuma vase; Japan, 19th century. Glazed ceramic. With the mark of the master ceramist. Measurements: 13 x 12 cm Globular vase with hexagonal neck and top, with profuse gold decoration of Buddhist characters and deities. On the base, a mark in poor gold on black, of the master ceramist. Satsuma pottery has been made since the beginning of the 18th century on the island of Kyushuu, and was a type of great Korean influence, as in fact it was even brought to Korean potters' potteries. 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 for 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.