Preliminary identification
Photo reference
1 uploaded photo
Overview
An exceptional Japanese ceramic deep bowl (sukashi-bachi) featuring pierced openwork details and bold underglaze brushwork depicting snow-draped pine branches (Yukimatsu). Executed in the celebrated Rimpa aesthetic, it bears a painted signature on the base reading 'Kenzan' (乾山).
Story
Ogata Kenzan revolutionized Japanese ceramics in 18th-century Kyoto by marrying painterly Rimpa design with functional pottery. This bowl features pierced openwork cutouts that frame snow-laden pine branches, a classic winter motif symbolising resilience.
Maker / Origin
Ogata Kenzan (1663–1743) was one of Japan's most revered potters and painters, working closely with his brother, the famed painter Ogata Kōrin. Kenzan was among the first Japanese potters to treat a vessel's surface as a flat canvas for expressive, poetic paintings, signature calligraphy, and innovative glaze combinations.
Condition & Value
The bowl appears remarkably well-preserved with intact openwork rim lobes, fine glaze crazing consistent with age, and a painted base mark. Comes with a traditional fitted wooden storage box (tomobako). Fine condition commands a strong premium. Value depends heavily on authentic period attribution.
Full Research
Sold comps, value drivers, and venue guidance pulled from recent auction results.
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Comparable demand stays strongest where maker, originality, and venue confidence line up. Broader examples still trade, but the range tightens quickly when provenance, condition, or selling lane fit is missing.
Best Venue
Specialty auction or a focused dealer with buyers already in this lane.
Signed example with light edge wear and original frame.
Comparable format with stronger provenance and cleaner surface.
Smaller related piece with visible craquelure and trimmed margins.
Period match with softer condition and weaker subject matter.
Close market lane comp with similar material and presentation.