Large Dish (Ōzara) with Chinese Landscape

The widespread use of large dishes over twelve inches in diameter began during the Momoyama period (1573–1615). Paintings from that time depict banquets with multiple large dishes, and excavations of Edo-period sites have unearthed similar vessels alongside tableware, suggesting their use by the elite during feasts. In the first half of the seventeenth century, such gatherings became increasingly common, inspiring the production of large, vividly decorated domestic wares.

The dish on view is an Early Imari example, made soon after Japan’s porcelain industry emerged in Arita. Its thick, slightly distorted form, visible wheel marks, and fingerprints left in the glaze typify Early Imari’s expressive character. The central design of pavilions in a landscape reflects Chinese blue-and-white porcelain traditions (ko-sometsuke), yet Arita potters asserted a distinctly Japanese, painterly style.