Blue-and-white base with plum tree, Izushi ware

This vessel is made in two layers, the the opening on one side showing the scene depicted inside. This style follows that of vessels exported during the Meiji period. The scene inside is made using a mold and it depicts an old woman holding a broom. This may be the uba old woman from the Noh theater play Takasago, a piece that celebrates the love between husband and wife and their longevity. It is thought that this was originally part of a pair of vases, the other depicting jō, the husband from the same play.