A LARGE KO-KUTANI BRUSHPOT WITH BASHIKO SENNIN

A LARGE AND RARE KO-KUTANI BRUSHPOT DEPICTING BASHIKO SENNIN
Marked Kutani
Japan, late 17th to early 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published & Exhibited: Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (1936) Exposicion de Arte de China y Japon, Buenos Aires, nos. 552.

The straight sides rising from a short tapered foot with recessed base, boldly painted in underglaze iron-red and bright enamels with Bashiko Sennin amid swirling clouds standing proudly atop his dragon with the arms crossed and looking straight ahead with powerful expression, all against a pale gray ground, with a floral lappet border above the foot and a red line border below the rim. The base marked KUTANI.

HEIGHT 29.6 cm

Condition: Good condition with some wear and firing flaws, a tiny nick to the rim, and a glaze line to the base.
Provenance: Collection of Mauro Herlitzka, Buenos Aires, and thence by descent. With several old museum labels. Mauro Herlitzka (1871-1960) was an Italian-born Argentinian engineer. He emigrated to Argentina in 1898 and became very successful in the electricity sector, introducing the Marconi wireless telegraph system, installing telephone service in numerous provinces, and overseeing the first international flight from Argentina.

Bashiko Sennin is said to have lived in China over 4,500 years ago and considered the first veterinary surgeon, curing a fatally ill dragon by operating on its throat. Bashiko Sennin is rarely seen in Japanese art but when depicted he is usually shown riding or standing on a dragon.