Ko-Kutani, hyakkade-style grand flat plate with flowers around Chinese sages

A masterpiece of Ko-kutani gosai, this dish’s thick overglaze enamel gives it a dynamic, powerful quality. With a diameter of over 45 cm, it boasts the largest size of any extant Ko-kutani work. In the middle of the composition is a Chinese figure amidst an abundant, elegant landscape setting, and the edge bears a densely painted bird and flower design that seems to expand beyond the confines of the dish itself.