Of elegant bottle form, the rounded ovoid body rising from a short foot through gently sloping shoulders to a long slender neck and slightly everted mouth.
Finely decorated with a continuous composition of bamboo, the slender articulated stems and overlapping leaves rendered in graduated shades of green, extending around the body and ascending onto the lower neck. The ivory ground is subtly enriched with softly mottled gilt decoration, lending depth and warmth to the composition while preserving broad areas of undecorated surface.
The restrained palette, asymmetrical composition and generous use of negative space lend the vase a distinctly Japanese sensibility and an unusually spacious, tranquil character, in contrast to the densely ornamented Satsuma wares more commonly associated with the Meiji period. The refined handling of the bamboo and carefully balanced composition exemplify the quieter, more painterly aspect of the Kinkozan workshop’s production.
