Bowl 18th century

This bowl was made in Japan, in the mid-19th century, by Seifu Yohei, using delicate porcelain and overglaze enamel. The designs are first painted onto the surface of the fired porcelain, then refired at a lower temperature to fuse the colors to the glaze. Porcelain is made from kaolin clay, prized for its purity and ability to be fired at high temperatures without losing its shape. When this bowl was made, porcelain wasn't just a material, but a symbol of status. The artist's skill is evident in the thin, even walls of the bowl, and the finely detailed painting. Note how the painted decoration—birds and flowers—wraps seamlessly around the bowl. The creation of such an object involved a collaboration of many hands, from the miners extracting the kaolin, to the potters, to the painters, each contributing their expertise. Examining this bowl, we can see how the divisions of labor and refined materials come together, challenging our ideas about what constitutes art, craft, and industry.