A large, elegant Satsuma vase decorated with plum blossoms

Description:

Japan, signed ‘Dai Nihon bijutsu Satsuma-yaki Kintôzan sei Baifu 大日本美術薩摩焼金陶山製梅風’ and bearing two seals, the second of which reads ‘Baifu’
H. 31,3 cm
A rounded, bulbous body with a short, widely flared neck. The shoulder features an all-round cobalt-blue field, within which are peony blossoms with foliage and a delicate gold tendril decoration; the neck junction features a stylised zigzag frieze in blue, red and turquoise, highlighted in gold. The body is adorned all round with richly designed decoration of magnificent plum branches in iron red and gold on a light background. Fine craquelure in the glaze.
An old German private collection; according to tradition, collected in Japan before 1910
The plum blossom, known as ‘ume’ in Japanese, is one of the oldest and most popular motifs in Japanese art. It blooms as early as late winter, often whilst there is still snow on the ground, long before the more famous cherry blossom, the sakura, appears - and that is precisely what makes it so special. As the first flower of the year, it is regarded as a harbinger of the approaching spring and a symbol of new beginnings. Because it defies the winter cold, it is also generally understood as a symbol of strength and perseverance, whilst its combination with other symbols of good fortune, such as the crane or the tortoise, also makes it a sign of prosperity and happiness. At the imperial court of Japan, the ume was once particularly prized and stood for elegance and refinement. No wonder, then, that branches of the plum tree, usually painted in red and gold, remain a popular motif on ceramics such as Satsuma vases to this day - decoratively beautiful, yet rich in meaning: spring, strength and prosperity united in a single image - Minimal signs of age