Satsuma box; Japan, late 19th century.

Satsuma box; Japan, late nineteenth century. Glazed ceramic. With marks. Measurements: 6 x 7 cm Small box with lid decorated with varied scenes in reserve, with landscapes, flowers and characters. Floral decoration on the inside and the master ceramist's mark on the base. 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' 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.