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Subject:Inscription & meaning behind Taizan Satsuma vase
Posted By: TimG Wed, May 23, 2018 IP: 73.224.85.64
So, along with the skeleton vase in my earlier post, I also acquired a fairly large Satsuma vase with an impressed mark of Taizan and rather long inscription on the base in red.

While I would very much appreciate knowing what the inscription says, I am posting to inquire if anyone is familiar enough with the design and if they could share its meaning.

Unfortunately, the photos do not quite do the piece justice, but on one side of the vase is a highly detailed depiction of an eagle with a background of a cascading waterfall.

The other side is a much more subtle depiction of a samurai (I think) in kimono being blown by typhoon winds embroiled with dragons.

The dramatic nature of the scene seems something out of folklore, but perhaps it is simply the artist expressing a recent encounter with a strong winds.

Either way, a nice piece - I hope others will enjoy.

Regards,
Tim







Subject:Re: Inscription & meaning behind Taizan Satsuma vase
Posted By: Bill H Thu, May 24, 2018
A beauty. I've scribbled down the characters and some of the easier translations. The Japanese pros will have to provide proper transliterations and other stuff.

明治九年六月 / Sixth Month of the Ninth year of the Meiji Reign (June, 1877)

日本東京 / Japan, Tokyo;

瓢池園製 / Hyoko Ichien Seisu / Made ? (From machine translation. Perhaps artist and kiln name.);

帶?四百七拾九号 / Tai(zan)? No. 479


Cheers,

Bill H.

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Subject:Re: Inscription & meaning behind Taizan Satsuma vase
Posted By: TimG Fri, May 25, 2018
Thank, Bill! Hugely helpful.

I copied and pasted your kanji of 瓢池園, dropping the last character 製, and got some interesting results.

The link below seems to identify this part of the mark as belonging to the Hyochien workshop, a predecessor of Noritake.

http://www.old-noritake.sakura.ne.jp/collection/etc/u.html

The site goes on to say that the artwork focus exclusively on people and birds & flowers, so this seems to be consistent with the subject matter of my vase.

It also appears, according to the next link I found (and if my Google translations are correct), that the early works of Hyochien workshop were exhibited at the World Fair.

http://kozan.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2014-04-06

So, perhaps no elaborate folklore story behind the depiction. On the other hand, maybe the scene is emblematic of the Meiji restoration period.

The Eagle, representing the Imperial family stands proudly, while the samurai, representing the Edo period, struggles to hold its ground against the winds of Imperial strength and change.

Or perhaps I'm just pulling at straws.

Best,
Tim

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