Exquisite and Grand 19th Century Japanese Satsuma Figurine of a Bijin “Beautiful Lady”- Meiji Period, circa 1890

An absolutely stunning Meiji-era Satsuma figure of a Bijin “beautiful lady” . She is wearing a magnificent kimono adorned with different types of flowers associated with the Japanese Meiji period. Her robe is finely painted depicting floral scenes and butterflies and she is holding a small bucket in her right hand, her robes held shut with her left. reverse with a black and gold signature.

Satsuma ware is a type of earthenware pottery originating from the Satsuma province in Southern Kyūshū, Japan’s third largest island. The first kilns were established here is the 16^th century by Korean potters kidnapped by the Japanese for their extraordinary skills, prior to this there was no ceramic industry in Satsuma.

The first presentation of Japanese arts to the West was in 1867, Satsuma was one of the star attractions, it was this that established the satsuma aesthetic we are most familiar with today. This export style reflects the foreign tastes of the time, popular designs featured millefleur (million flower), and complex filled in patterns. Many pieces featured panels depicting typical Japanese scenes to appeal to the west such as pagodas, cherry blossom, birds and flowers and beautiful ladies and noble men in traditional dress.

The height of popularity for Satsuma was the Meiji Period and many of the most beautiful and artistically accomplished works were made during this time, as evidenced in this exquisitely grand historical example.

Measures: height 16.5″ x width 4.75″ x depth 6″