Kutani Dragonware

Kutaniware, born in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture in the 17th century, is celebrated for its daring palettes and richly enamelled surfaces. Its ornamentations balance bold imagination with meticulous craftsmanship, making it one of Japan’s most expressive porcelain traditions.

This striking Japanese tea service, comprising a teapot, lidded sugar bowl, milk jug, and four tea cups with saucers are testament to the brilliant artistry of Kutani Dragonware. The service is painted in a bold cobalt blue ground, enlivened with swirling waves created with brushstrokes.The central motif in each porcelain piece is a sinuous dragon coiled dynamically around the vessel. Rendered in raised enamels with finely detailed scales, the dragon is highlighted in gilt and accented in red, epitomising the Kutani tradition of layering texture and colour. 

The interiors of the cups disclose a hallmark of Dragonware, where a lithophane portrait of a Geisha comes into view when the base is seen against light. This delicate, translucent feature underscores the craftsmanship involved, as lithophanes required precise carving into thin porcelain before firing. Such hidden portraits imbued everyday vessels with an element of discovery and refinement.  

Non-exportable

Provenance: The Estate of Mangaldas Nathubhai