Ko-Kutani Style Enameled Octagonal Bowl with Shishi Lion

Story

Seventeenth-century Japanese potters developed the bold Kutani style by combining rich lead-based glazes with dramatic geometric forms. The emerald green lion in the center represents a sacred guardian meant to ward off evil spirits. These distinctive octagonal shapes allowed master artists to frame separate painterly narratives on a single ceramic surface.

Maker / Origin

While early Ko-Kutani kilns mysteriously closed around 1700 after only a few decades of production, the style was resurrected during the late Edo period (Revival Kutani) by master kilns like Yoshidaya. Artisans painstaking recreated the heavy, lustrous enamel palette—deep greens, iron reds, mustard yellows, and purples—that made the original wares famous.

Condition & Value

The enamels appear vibrant and remarkably well-preserved. There are minor age-appropriate rim wear and tiny gold/lacquer repairs visible along the upper rim, which were traditional Japanese restoration techniques (kintsugi-style). Minor repairs reduce value slightly but preserve structural integrity.