Kutani Ware Peacock and Bird-and-Flower Enameled Vase
An antique Kutani vase with remarkably rich colors that still retains the feel of traditional Japanese ceramics. The body uses a soft, warm off-white glaze as its ground, and the most striking main scene is a pair of elegantly poised peacocks, surrounded by blooming peonies, branches, leaves and flowering trees, with small birds perched on the branches above. The composition unfolds across the entire body, with the narrative quality of a traditional Japanese bird-and-flower painting. The peacock feathers are rendered in layers of deep blue, green, ochre-red and golden yellow, while the peonies are presented in interwoven pink, vermilion-orange and green. Compared with modern ceramics that leave a great deal of blank space, this piece is a typical example of "full yet orderly" — up close you can appreciate the details, while from a distance it is a vase of complete color and considerable presence.
