Edo Period Ko-Imari 'Ai-Kakiemon' Style Blue and White Porcelain Dish (7-Sun)

Story

Arita potters in 17th-century Japan mastered underglaze cobalt to mimic negative space from ink paintings, creating Ai-Kakiemon wares that enchanted both samurai elites and European royal courts.

Maker / Origin

While individual potters were rarely named during this era, this style is tied to the celebrated Kakiemon lineage of Arita kilns. The workshop pioneered sophisticated asymmetrical compositions, pristine white porcelain clay, and delicate, watery cobalt tones known as 'Ai-Kakiemon' (pure blue Kakiemon), which set the aesthetic benchmark across East Asia and Europe.

Condition & Value

The obverse displays excellent preservation of the cobalt blue decoration and clear glaze with minor firing pinholes. The reverse features substantial kiln grit adhering to the base and an open glaze burst/flaw directly affecting the 'fuku' mark, typical of historical kiln conditions.