Large vase; Japan, Meiji period, c. 1900.

Large vase; Japan, Meiji period, c. 1900.
Hand-painted Imari porcelain and relief decoration.
Measurements: 62 x 31,5 cm.
This magnificent large Japanese vase, dated around 1900 during the Meiji period, is a representative example of Imari porcelain in its late stage, when production was oriented to both domestic consumption and the Western market.
The piece is made of fine porcelain, with a careful application of glazes and gilding on a white glazed base. Its shape is elongated, with a flared neck that opens into a slightly undulating rim, enhancing the monumentality of the whole. The decoration combines hand-painted motifs with relief applications, highlighting a dragon figure that coils around the body of the vase, providing dynamism and sculptural volume.
The main body presents rectangular cartouches framed with black geometric fretwork, within which courtly scenes unfold with characters dressed in rich kimonos, rendered with meticulous attention to detail and color. In the upper part, the spaces are filled with floral and vegetal motifs, typical of the Japanese decorative repertoire, painted in vivid shades of iron red, cobalt blue, emerald green and gold, on a white background.