WhereIshikawa
SinceMid-1600s
KindPorcelain
The story
Kutani porcelain comes from Ishikawa, on the Sea of Japan coast. Its kilns date to the mid-1600s, and the ware became known for strong, confident painting in green, yellow, purple, blue and red, often framed with gold.
Unlike the soft, quiet colours of much Japanese ceramics, Kutani wants to be looked at. Birds, flowers and landscapes fill the plate, painted by hand in enamels over the glaze.
What to look for
- Five enamel colours: green, yellow, purple, blue and red
- Gold outlines and borders
- Painted birds, flowers and landscapes
