Satsuma bowl; Japan, 20th century.

Satsuma bowl; Japan, 20th century. Glazed ceramic. With mark on the base. Measurements: 6,5 x 12,5 cm Satsuma ceramic bowl with decoration of Buddhist characters in gold, on a green background. On the base, a mark transcribed as "Dai Nippon Bijutsu Hododa" (Art of Great Japan, Hododa), alluding to the master ceramist Hododa. Satsuma ware has been made since the early 18th century on the island of Kyushuu, and was a type with a strong 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 ware is its decorative richness, sometimes even exaggerated.