Features
◆ An "enshi bijin" (alluring beauty) subject, characteristic of Japanese ceramic figures
This is not an ordinary child, geisha or court-lady figure; the female nude itself is the main form. The effect is not erotic but closer to classical figure art and the beauty of a woman's pose — the seated posture, the line of the hands and the lowered gaze all carry a very quiet, gentle quality.
◆ A natural kneeling pose with soft lines
The figure kneels with one leg drawn up and the other resting naturally at her side, the body leaning slightly forward and the line of the arm running from the shoulder down to the leg. This pose gives the piece soft curves from every viewing angle and makes it more sculptural than a simple standing figure.
◆ White porcelain texture setting off the skin
Large areas of the body are finished in a white or cream glaze, which reads as very clean. The white porcelain surface has a soft sheen under light, making the skin look finer and giving the whole form an elegance close to ivory carving.
◆ A high black coiffure, unmistakably Japanese
The hair is dressed up into a high chignon, the glossy black glaze contrasting strongly with the white porcelain skin. Gold and red ornaments are added to the coiffure, so the figure reads at once as a Japanese beauty.
◆ Rich gilt and enamel decoration
The fabric decoration over the waist and legs is the most ornate area of the piece. Visible are:
Pink
Gold enamel
Green
Red
Floral or jewel-like motifs
These details contrast sharply with the plain white figure and belong very much to the decorative vocabulary of Kutani-style enamelled ceramics.
◆ Vivid Kutani-ware colouring
The gold enamel, polychrome painting and modelled figure all point to a strong Kutani-style art-ceramic character.