This large, 18-inch-diameter Japanese Kutani porcelain charger is filled with finely painted scenes depicting the changing seasons, featuring children at play, birds, flowering trees, and a delicate waterside landscape, all set against a brilliant iron-red ground.
Made during the Meiji period in the late 19th century, the charger is organized around two large fan-shaped panels. The rounded fan shows young boys playing together in a landscape with pine trees, flowering plants, and distant mountains.
Their animated poses and brightly colored robes give the scene warmth and charm.
The folded fan above contains a delicate waterside landscape painted in soft tones of blue, green, and pink.
A traditional figure appears in the distance, while flowering trees and a simple wooden structure suggest the arrival of spring.
Across the rich red ground, twisting branches of white and pink plum blossoms connect the separate scenes.
Birds fly among the pine branches, and a magpie perches near the flowering tree.
The combination of snow, pine, plum blossoms, and the spring landscape creates a beautifully conceived progression through the seasons.
The outer border is painted with a dense blue geometric pattern interrupted by colorful shaped reserves of scrolling flowers and foliage. This carefully worked border gives the charger a strong frame and balances the open landscapes within.
The reverse is equally impressive, painted with three vigorous dragons circling the foot.
Characters on the underside convey the auspicious message “Wealth and Privilege, Forever Lasting.”
With its generous scale, brilliant color, and lively narrative painting, this splendid charger has exceptional presence.
Dimensions: 18 inches diameter x 2.8 inches deep
Material: Porcelain
Date: Late 19th century, Meiji period
Origin: Japan