Arita Ware Sometsuke Monumental Lidded Jar by Tatebayashi Gengorō VI, Lions and Rabbits, 64 cm

A monumental sometsuke lidded jar by the sixth-generation Tatebayashi Gengorō, standing approximately 64 cm and animated with lions, leaping rabbits, waves and clouds in cobalt blue. It belongs to the class of Arita works made for elite commissions, exhibitions and ceremonial interiors, where scale is matched by discipline.

The Piece

This lidded jar is the work of the sixth-generation Tatebayashi Gengorō, of one of the most respected lineages in the Arita tradition, and shows sometsuke blue-and-white painting at its most ambitious. At approximately 64 cm tall, it belongs to a category historically reserved for elite commissions, export exhibitions and ceremonial interiors rather than domestic display; it is an architectural presence rather than a vessel that recedes into a room.

The surface carries a narrative procession of auspicious imagery: lions in dynamic motion, leaping rabbits, rolling waves and layered clouds. Foreground and background interlock, negative space is actively shaped, and the cobalt moves fluidly between deep saturation and feathered translucence. Large ceramics often lose precision as they grow; here the line tightens as the form expands, and the curvature of the jar bends motion and perspective so the decoration seems to rotate as one walks around it.

The lid is sculpturally integrated rather than appended, keeping proportional harmony, so jar and lid read as one balanced mass. The work reflects Arita's post-Edo revival of technical ambition, a mature synthesis of Edo-period technique and revival-era confidence that reconnects with the export era when Japanese ceramics first held the world stage. It suits an advanced collection, an architectural interior or an institution seeking a centerpiece.

Details

• Maker: Tatebayashi Gengorō (6th generation)
• Origin: Japan (Arita)
• Material: Arita ware porcelain; sometsuke cobalt blue-and-white
• Color: Blue and white
• Measurements: Height approx. 64 cm · Diameter approx. 32 cm
• Weight: Approx. 9.58 kg
• Form: Lidded storage jar / display vessel
• Decoration: Lions, rabbits, waves and clouds (auspicious motifs)
• Packing: Reinforced, layered professional packing required for its size and weight

Condition

Minor age-related wear consistent with age.

Authenticity & Care

Attributed to the sixth-generation Tatebayashi Gengorō of Arita; the description does not cite a signature, kiln mark or box inscription, so the specific attribution evidence should be confirmed. Every piece is examined and documented in Japan before dispatch and is offered with the Japonista authenticity guarantee.

Delivery from Japan

Packed by hand in Japan and shipped insured and tracked by EMS or an equivalent express service. Import duties and taxes, where applicable, are payable on arrival. Returns follow our published policy.

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