Vase

This vase and its pair (accession number 1887.69), created by Kinkozan Sobei (1823–1884, the sixth generation of Kinkozan potters), best illustrate the high quality of early Kyoto export ware in the late nineteenth century. Like other Japanese decorators at the time, Sobei combined traditional Japanese motifs with brighter, more vibrant colors to appeal to the Victorian taste of the Western markets.

This vase depicts a snow-covered flowering tree with pink and blue blossoms and three small birds against a yellow ground. The elegant design, the bold contrasts of colors, and the abundant use of gold all reflect the decorative trend of Japanese export ware of the nineteenth century.