Antique
Japanese Kutani Guinomi
Flowery Moon Night
On The Spring River
Signed Kutani Yozan. Circa: Late Meiji, 1910 H.3
in.(7.5cm), W.2.75 in.(7cm), D.2.75 in.(7cm) Condition:
excellent!
Private
Collection | | |
The first Kutani Kiln was built by the lord of Daishoji Fief in Ishikawa
in the mid 17th century, following the discovery of a porcelain mine at the Kutani
Village. Hand signed Yozan of Kutani, there are many features set this Satsuma
style sake cup in a class of its own. At first glance, one noticed the cup is
free from a crackled glaze but made from translucent white porcelain. With its
straight--sided simple shape, which furthers our focus on the elaborate motifs,
and on the five wraparound courtly scenes that illustrated a princely romantic
story, in eye-catching details that inevitably invite a closer look. Only then
the true wonder reveals inside this small guinomi-- in a 259 written microscopic
kanji characters, of the famous Chinese poetry "A Flowery Moon Night on the Spring
River" by the Tang Dynasty Zhang Ruoxu (618-907 AD.) The calligraphy is signed
Kozan.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | In
spring the river rises as high as the sea, And with the river’s rise the moon
uprises bright. She follows the rolling waves for ten thousand li, And where the
river flows, there overflows her light. The river winds around the fragrant islet
where The blooming flowers in her light all look like snow. You cannot tell her
beams from hoar frost in the air, Nor from white sand upon Farewell Beach below.
No dust has stained the water blending with the skies; A lonely wheel like moon
shines brilliant far and wide. Who by the riverside first saw the moon arise?
When did the moon first see a man by riverside? Ah, generations have come and
pasted away; From year to year the moons look alike, old and new. We do not know
tonight for whom she sheds her ray, But hear the river say to its water adieu.
Away, away is sailing a single cloud white; On Farewell Beach pine away maples
green. Where is the wanderer sailing his boat tonight? Who, pining away, on the
moonlit rails would learn? Alas! The moon is lingering over the tower; It should
have seen the dressing table of the fair. She rolls the curtain up and light comes
in her bower; She washes but can’t wash away the moonbeams there. She sees the
moon, but her beloved is out of sight; She’d follow it to shine on her beloved
one’s face. But message-bearing swans can’t fly out of moonlight, Nor can letter-sending
fish leap out of their place. Last night he dreamed that falling flowers would
not stay. Alas! He can’t go home, although half spring has gone. The running water
bearing spring will pass away; The moon declining over the pool will sink anon.
The moon declining sinks into a heavy mist; It’s a long way between southern rivers
and eastern seas. How many can go home by moonlight who are missed? The sinking
moon sheds yearning o’er riverside trees.
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Estimate
Value: $600 |
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