Octagonal Bowl, 17th century

The first Japanese porcelains were developed in the early seventeenth century after the techniques were introduced into Japan from Korea. Taking advantage of nearby deposits of porcelain clay, Korean immigrant potters established a major porcelain production area near the town of Arita in northern Kyushu. Arita kilns produced a number of specialized styles, such as Nabeshima, Imari, Kakiemon, and Kutani. The earliest wares followed Chinese designs painted in underglaze blue; techniques of firing polychrome overglaze enamels on porcelain were introduced from China by the mid-seventeenth century. The delicate restraint in the decoration of this bowl is distinctly Japanese in feeling.