Antique Japanese Kutani Porcelain Plate Aka-e Figural Composition Meiji 9"W

Japanese Kutani 九谷焼 porcelain plate, iron-red aka-e with figural vignettes, Kutani mark to reverse

Japan; Meiji period, late 19th–early 20th century

A Japanese Kutani (九谷焼) porcelain plate decorated entirely in iron-red (aka-e) overglaze on a white ground, bearing the Kutani (九谷) mark in red to the reverse. The face presents a symmetrical composition in which lobster (海老, ebi) forms radiate from a central roundel, their bodies rendered in precise red line work with careful attention to the segmented carapace and antennae. Between the ebi, small figural vignettes — courtly or domestic scenes in the classical Japanese manner — are painted with the fine brushwork that characterizes accomplished Meiji Kutani production. The entire surface is organized with a clarity and balance that reflects the strong design sense of the Kaga-area workshops that carried the Kutani tradition through the Meiji period.

Kutani aka-e — iron-red overglaze painting on white porcelain, with or without gold accent — is one of the most immediately recognizable formats in Japanese ceramic decoration, with roots in the seventeenth-century kilns of Kaga province and a strong revival in Meiji-period production oriented toward both domestic and export markets. The ebi motif carries well-established associations with longevity and good fortune, its curved form read as analogous to the bent posture of an elder.

• Form: Kutani porcelain plate
• Decoration: Iron-red (aka-e) overglaze — ebi lobster radiating composition with figural vignettes
• Mark: Red Kutani (九谷) mark to reverse
• Period: Meiji, late 19th–early 20th century
• Dimensions: 9″W × 1″H
• Condition: Age-appropriate wear with light surface crazing; no chips or cracks noted. Please see photos for details.