Each piece in this collection has a delicate low-relief design of flowering plum branches over intersecting lines, which represent cracked ice on frozen water, signed in gold on the base. Yohei II created many underglaze blue pieces similar to those made by Kiyomizu Shichibei. However, he also made pieces in different styles later in his career from the early 1870s. In 1873, he became a supplier to Kyoto Prefecture's Industrial Center, linked to Kyoto's efforts to reach an international market through Kobe's port. From 1875 until his death, he was involved in national projects to showcase Japanese ceramics globally. During this time, Yohei III apprenticed under Yohei II. It's been suggested that this set could be an early example of Yohei III's work, signed with his teacher's name. The collection features designs resembling Japanese textile motifs, reminiscent of Yohei II's plum blossom vases at the Victoria and Albert Museum. In a formal exhibition setting, these elaborate trees have been transformed into the gentle blossoms of a domestic environment. Although the designs are consistent, each raised flower petal, pistil, and hand-incised ice line varies, making the cups, bowls, and dishes similar yet unique. The bottoms of two bowls:
Each item in this set has a delicate low-relief design of flowering plum branches over scattered, intersecting lines meant to resemble the cracked-ice surface of a frozen body of water and is signed on the base in gold pigment. While Yohei II produced many fine works in underglaze blue, like those produced by Kiyomizu Shichibei, he also made works in quite different styles later in his career, from the early 1870 s. In 1873, he was appointed purveyor to the Industrial Center of Kyoto Prefecture, a designation associated with Kyoto’s efforts to reach an international market through the port of Kobe; and from 1875 until his death, he was involved in national-level projects to present Japanese ceramics across the world. It was during this period that Yohei III was apprenticed to Yohei II, and it has been suggested that this set may in fact be an early example of Yohei III’s work, which he signed with his teacher’s name. Decorated with flowers resembling Japanese textile motifs, the set calls to mind the design of Yohei II’s pair of vases with plum blossoms in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Here, the elaborate trees created for a formal public exhibition setting have been translated into the approachable blossoms of the genteel domestic environment. While the designs are consistent across the pieces, each raised flower petal and pistil and each incised line in the ice was done by hand, so the cups, bowls, and dishes are similar yet unique.
View the original at Cleveland Museum of Art →Japan implementing the 1970 UNESCO Convention. When a foreign state reports that cultural property has been stolen from an institution, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs notifies the education ministry, which designates the object as specified foreign cultural property, after consulting the trade ministry. Importing a designated object then requires approval under the foreign exchange and trade law.
The cool part. Article 6 quietly rewrites private law. Under the Civil Code a good-faith purchaser is normally secure against a recovery claim after two years. For designated stolen foreign cultural property, the victim may demand recovery from two years after the theft until ten years have passed. Buying in good faith does not settle the question for a decade, which is roughly how long it takes a stolen object to surface on a legitimate market.
Verify at e-Gov 法令検索 →Use it Palette for a single-colour run: one ink, heavy stock, nothing else on the sheet.
Description source: museum curator text, translated — not generated