Pair of Imari vases; Arita, Japan, 19th century. Enamelled porcelain, with wooden bases.

Pair of Imari vases; Arita, Japan, 19th century.
Glazed porcelain, with wooden bases.
Size: 135 x 50 cm (vases); 36 x 50 cm (stands).
Pair of Japanese porcelain vases, with Imari decoration, including interlace handles worked in relief and entirely gilded. The typology follows traditional Chinese models, with a stylised ovoid belly with a flat base and pronounced shoulders, and a flaring neck, slightly open towards the mouth, which in this case has a decorative lobed profile. The main motifs are housed in cartouches in reserve, depicting flowers and birds. The background of the vases is entirely covered with a small decoration of flowers and vegetal scrolls on a white or red background, combined with smaller cartouches of different designs.
Imari's main characteristic is the use of cobalt-blue underglaze glaze, combined with other overglaze glazes, mainly iron-red and gilding. When it also includes gilding, as seen here, it is called Imari Nishiki. Imari wares were produced in Japan from the third quarter of the 17th century until 1730-35, although there was a revival of the style in the 19th century. In decorative terms, Imari is very free, with compositions that occupy the entire space of the piece, generally asymmetrical, combining different motifs and cartouches of various shapes, as seen here.