Each piece in this set features a delicate low-relief design of plum branches and intersecting lines, intended to represent the cracked ice surface of frozen water, signed in gold on the base. Yohei II created many underglaze blue pieces similar to those of Kiyomizu Shichibei, but he also produced works in different styles towards the end of his career, starting from around 1873. In that year, he was appointed as a supplier to Kyoto Prefecture's Industrial Center, linked to Kyoto's attempts to reach an international market via Kobe's port. From 1875 until his death, he participated in national projects promoting Japanese ceramics worldwide. During this period, Yohei III began his apprenticeship under Yohei II. It is speculated that this set might be an early example of Yohei III's work, which he signed with his master's name. The set's decoration includes flowers resembling Japanese textile patterns, reminiscent of Yohei II's plum blossom vases in the Victoria and Albert Museum. In this formal exhibition setting, the elaborate trees have been transformed into the more accessible blossoms of a domestic environment. Despite consistent designs, each hand-raised flower petal, pistil, and 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 →Article 1 states the purpose plainly: prevent trade in stolen goods, find them quickly, and speed the recovery of victims. Article 2 then defines a used article to include, in the same breath, art objects held for appreciation. Dealing in them requires a licence.
The cool part. Article 16 requires a dealer to record every transaction: the date, the item and quantity, its distinguishing features, and the address, name, occupation and age of the other party. Article 15 requires that a dealer who suspects an item is stolen report it to a police officer immediately. So the antique trade runs on a register the police may read, and a painting becomes a second-hand article the moment it has been used once.
Verify at e-Gov 法令検索 →Use it Take the ratio, not the picture. It sets a page better than a grid does.
Description source: museum curator text, translated — not generated