Octagonal Bowl 1790 - 1810

This octagonal bowl was created by Aoki Mokubei, an artist known for his diverse artistic skills, who lived in Japan from 1767 to 1833. It’s made of porcelain, and decorated with enamel over a glaze. Now, porcelain itself is a fascinating material. Fired at extremely high temperatures, it becomes vitrified – almost glass-like – resulting in a smooth, hard, and translucent surface. The making of porcelain is a labor-intensive process. The clay has to be carefully prepared, the object skillfully formed, and the firing precisely controlled. The decoration is no exception. The meticulous application of enamel demands incredible skill and patience. The black background would have been painted on first, then the imagery applied on top of this. Mokubei was not only a painter but also a potter, so he had a deep understanding of the materials. The way the decoration interacts with the bowl's form is quite special. The octagonal shape creates panels that become individual stages for the narrative scenes. Looking at this bowl, it's impossible not to appreciate the immense skill and effort that went into its creation. It challenges us to think about the value of craft and the artistry inherent in the production of functional objects.