Impressive large antique Japanese Satsuma figural baluster vase by Ryokuzan
This is a very large, baluster-shaped, antique Satsuma vase with a finely moulded applied figure of a wood gatherer carrying a bundle of sticks on his head. This figure is walking in a nicely painted landscape scene of a village by a lake and a mill-house with a waterwheel beside a stream with autumn maple leaf foliage. This lovely vase is very large - about 41 cm high and 23 cm in diameter.
The rocks surrounding the stream and also the mill-house and waterwheel are all modelled in raised relief. The enamelling is in relatively bright and modern colours, including blues, greens, browns, vermillion, black, white (moriage) and gilt. The rim borders are simple - a broad, gold top rim above a glossy dark brown band, and a similar dark brown band at the base.
The figure is very well moulded and finely painted (see photos). There is an artist's (decorator's) mark on the base for Ryokuzan. Green Mountain in a double square, in black on a rectangular brick red cartouche. The paste is good, clean and white.
The glaze is pale and quite clear, with an even, fine crackle. There is no damage, other than some loss of gilding on the top rim (see photos). Other than this, there are no chips, cracks or restoration.
This vase also comes with a well-fitted Oriental wooden stand (17.5 cm in diameter, to fit a 13 cm vase base). This stand has split with age, but is still quite serviceable and fits the vase perfectly. Ryokuzan is a very well-known decorator of Satsuma, who I understand was based in Kyoto. His well-regarded (and usually quite expensive) output spans the period from late Meiji through Taisho to early Showa (perhaps up until the onset of the Great Depression).Search the net for other pieces by this decorator using the characters. I believe that this vase is probably Taisho in age (say made between 1915 and 1929). This is an outstanding and very unusual collector's piece. You will never see another! I have many other antique and vintage Japanese pieces for sale.
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