Small Satsuma vase; Japan, 19th century.

Small Satsuma vase; Japan, 19th century. Glazed ceramic and openwork metal. Measurements: 8 x 5 cm Globular miniature vase, with tri-lobed base and floral decoration on cream crackle background and gold clouds at the bottom. Lid in openwork metal. Satsuma ware has been made since the early 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. 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.