Imari Porcelain
About 1854, with prodding from an American naval squadron, the nation of Japan, which had been closed to outsiders since 1637, began trading with the United States and Europe. Suddenly, exotic textiles, lacquerware, metalwork, ceramics and a host of unusual objects became available in general commerce. The appearance of the Japanese wares in the European industrial exhibitions of the early 1870′s caused a sensation. The success in Europe encouraged the Japanese government to organize a huge display at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition. The response by visitors and critics was overwhelming, and it lead to an outpouring of respect for Japan and its culture. The ceramics on exhibition in Philadelphia included a collection of what we now call Imari porcelain. Primarily decorated in a brilliant palette of iron red, cobalt, green and gold, the Imari wares captivated the Americans. Many considered them the apex of the exhibit. The appeal of Imari porcelain, which has continued to the present, lies in its unique geometric patterns employing birds, animals, flowers and other naturalistic motifs. As it is with every antique, some knowledge of the history of Imari porcelain and Japan can provide a deeper appreciation of these ceramics.
It begins in 1542, when a Portuguese adventurer, Mendez Pinto, accidentally landed in Japan. He found an ordered society and well developed culture unlike anything he had known. The Portuguese established themselves, spreading Christianity and establishing a lucrative trade. However, their influence became so pervasive, that the Japanese government expelled them in 1637, and limited travel into and out of the nation. About that time, the Dutch, who had been trading in China, were allowed to occupy Deshima Island in Nagasaki Harbor and trade for porcelains and other exotica. The porcelains were actually produced in Arita and shipped through the nearby port of Imari, and then brought by boat to Deshima Island.
Originally the Dutch desired blue and white examples, similar to the Chinese porcelains. But soon their noble clients clamored for the brightly enameled Imari wares so familiar to us today. Since porcelain was rare and expensive, in Europe, these collectors were not the run of mill folks. They included the Bourbons, Hapsburgs, Hanovers, and the greatest collector, Augustus the First of Saxony (1670 to 1733). Most Imari ware exported during this period comprised display or presentation pieces. Common forms include high-shouldered vases with dome tops – often with onion-shaped knops, trumpet-form vases, chargers and the especially prized plates with scalloped rims giving the impression of a chrysanthemum bloom – a national symbol in Japan.
By the end of the 18th century, the Dutch trade dwindled. Conditions had stabilized in China, and the prices for their porcelains were lower. Thereafter, production at the Arita kilns was primarily for domestic purposes. The end of isolation in 1854 energized the Japanese porcelain trade. Ceramic firms were formed to produce for the Western taste. The industry transformed, moving from wood-fired to coal-fired kilns, and production soared. In the late 19th century another form of Imari was mass-produced in Arita for export to the west. This ware does not match the design and pottery quality of earlier Imari and is most often an off-white cheaper porcelain with very thin glaze. Decoration of later Imari is extreme, with stenciled ornamentation applied to the porcelain and colored with vibrant oranges, iron-reds, greens and blues with profuse gilding. Like its antecedents, late Imari was almost always produced in display or presentation forms and useful table wares are seldom, if ever found. The extreme design tendencies of this period are also expressed in the forms of this ware including oversized pieces, bulbous shapes and drawn out necks, although the elegant chrysanthemum plate was also produced. Since then traditional Imari porcelain has been produced consistently, except for the periods surrounding the First and Second World Wars.
It may be difficult for a novice to tell the old Imari from the new. The earlier pieces have more subdued tones in their decoration and more skillful decoration. Avoid “muddy” and poorly painted examples. Chocolate brown and green backgrounds are unusual and generally more expensive.
Reference note by p4A.com Contributing Editor Bob Goldberg.