Each piece in this set has a delicate design of flowering plum branches over intersecting lines that resemble cracked ice on a frozen body of water. The designs are signed in gold pigment at the base. Yohei II created many pieces with underglaze blue designs similar to those made by Kiyomizu Shichibei. However, later in his career, from the early 1870s, he also produced works in different styles. In 1873, Yohei II was appointed as a supplier to the Industrial Center of Kyoto Prefecture, a position related to Kyoto's attempts to reach an international market through the port of Kobe. From 1875 until his death, he was involved in national-level projects to showcase Japanese ceramics worldwide. During this period, Yohei III was apprenticed to Yohei II. Some believe that this set might be an early example of Yohei III's work, as he signed it with his teacher's name. The set features flower designs reminiscent of Japanese textile motifs. The designs on the set recall Yohei II's pair of vases with plum blossoms in the Victoria and Albert Museum. In this set, the formal trees created for public exhibition have been transformed into the more approachable blossoms of a domestic setting. Though the designs are consistent across the pieces, each raised flower petal and pistil, as well as each incised line in the ice, was done by hand.
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 →A statute built to coax privately held work onto public walls. An owner registers a piece with the Commissioner for Cultural Affairs, then contracts with a museum to display it. Article 2 defines a work of art broadly, as paintings, sculpture, crafts and other tangible cultural products that are movable, which is the legal way of saying anything you could carry out of the house.
The cool part. The terms are the interesting part. Article 2 requires the public display contract to run for five years or more, and to contain a clause stating that the parties may not give notice of cancellation. You cannot lend a masterpiece for the tax treatment and then reclaim it when the market turns. Japan concluded the barrier to seeing art was never storage. It was ownership, and the fix was a contract you cannot walk out of.
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