Imari-style porcelain tea bowl and dish. Arita 17th century

Bowl and dish in hard-paste Arita porcelain, decorated in the Imari style with Bijin in a garden. The traditional Imari palette of blue, red and gold is enriched with yellow and soft green enamels. The designs are very finely executed, which is unusual in this type of Arita production.

The Musée Occitanie des Arts de la Table has in its collections a cup of the same technical quality and from the same period, but with a very simple decoration, for which a silver mount bearing a fleur-de-lis hallmark was made in Paris (1681–1684), establishing that the porcelain predates this period.

To the best of our knowledge, this set is the only complete example recorded. Another identical bowl, worn and damaged, but without its matching dish, is also known. The exceptional quality of the execution and the rarity of these pieces suggest that they may have formed part of a special series made for a discerning patron.

Excellent condition, with no repairs or grinding; one chip to the foot of the bowl, visible in the photograph.

Arita, circa 1670–1680.

Diameter of the dish: 127 mm.
Diameter of the bowl: 73 mm.