{"product_id":"japanese-kutani-vase-dai-nippon-dragon-handles-bijin-figures-peony-butterfly-meiji-9h","title":"Antique Japanese Kutani Vase Dai Nippon Dragon Handles Bijin Figures Peony Butterfly Meiji 9H","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJapanese Kutani Vase Dai Nippon Dragon Handles Bijin Figures Peony Butterfly Meiji\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eJapan, Meiji period, c. 1868–1912\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eApprox. 9 in. H (23 cm); Weight:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eA finely decorated Kutani (九谷) ovoid vase on a splayed foot, bearing the prestigious four-character base mark 大日本九谷造 (Dai Nippon Kutani Zō — \"Made in Kutani, Great Japan\") — a hallmark of quality Meiji export production. A pair of applied shishi or dragon-dog shoulder handles (ryū-耳) in iron-red flank the narrow neck, each modeled with expressive relief detail; between them, a small applied floral boss in gold enamel anchors the composition at the shoulder. The neck and foot base are finished in iron-red with gold kiri (桐, paulownia) leaf motifs, the shoulder carrying a white cloud-and-wave band.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThe body presents two contrasting large cartouche panels. The principal face depicts a bijin-ga (美人画) — a court beauty in formal dress amid a mountain landscape of bamboo, mist, and rockwork — executed in a loose ink-wash manner with grey, amber, and iron-red, the figures rendered with delicate facial detail and the landscape receding convincingly into mist. The reverse panel shifts in mood entirely: a lush kachō-ga (花鳥画) composition of botan (牡丹, peony) in pink and orange with cho (蝶, butterflies) — rendered in softer polychrome enamels that contrast the restrained grey-wash of the figure side. The alternation of these two aesthetic registers — the subdued literati landscape and the vibrant floral — is a sophisticated compositional strategy characteristic of quality Meiji Kutani.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eCondition: Good overall; enamel and gold decoration intact. Some wear and minor losses to the iron-red ground on the foot base consistent with age. No chips or cracks to the body. Applied handles intact.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eA vase of genuine decorative ambition — the combination of Dai Nippon mark, applied dragon handles, bijin figure painting, and polychrome floral reverse places this well above standard export production.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Consignment","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49035781538109,"sku":"24C*CG040","price":245.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0684\/2348\/3709\/files\/288CD72C-B2D8-49DD-86DC-68AC9E7FF5A1.jpg?v=1719609746","url":"https:\/\/shogunsgallery.com\/products\/japanese-kutani-vase-dai-nippon-dragon-handles-bijin-figures-peony-butterfly-meiji-9h","provider":"Shogun's Gallery","version":"1.0","type":"link"}