Bowl with Character for “Longevity” and Assorted Treasure Motifs

The motifs adorning this bowl are executed in kinrande, or “gold brocade,” derived from a mid-sixteenth-century Chinese technique of decorating porcelain wares—primarily for the Japanese market—with finely painted gold designs on a red ground. At the center, a roundel bears the character kotobuki (壽, meaning “longevity” or “congratulations”) in underglaze blue outlined in overglaze gold. Surrounding it are four cartouches with treasure motifs originally transmitted from China: scrolls, repositories of wisdom; the magic mallet, symbolizing riches; cloves, associated with medicine and fragrance; and the cloak of invisibility, believed to protect from harm. The background of bright colors and gold evokes a richly brocaded textile, densely embellished with geometric patterns and symbols of good fortune. The auspicious designs made the bowl especially fitting for use in New Year’s celebrations.