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Yachimun – Okinawan Ceramics

  • Image of "Chuka: Pot for Liquor or Tea with Spout, Crab design in overglaze enamel, Okinawa Main Island; Tsuboya ware, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, late 18th–19th century"

    Chuka: Pot for Liquor or Tea with Spout, Crab design in overglaze enamel, Okinawa Main Island; Tsuboya ware, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, late 18th–19th century

    Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 14
    June 25, 2019 (Tue) - September 16, 2019 (Mon)

    The Tokyo National Museum has over twenty pieces of Okinawan ceramics in its collection. The Museum acquired these pieces through private donation and through the Meiji government’s purchase of Ryukyu artifacts from Okinawa in 1885.

    This exhibition includes excellent examples of the overglaze enamels that were widely used in Okinawa in the 19th century–including rare examples of a vivid blue overglaze. Most of these ceramics were fired at the Tsuboya kilns in central Naha.

    In addition, recent conservation activities have revealed that some of the “Ryukyu artifacts” purchased in 1885 actually bear reign marks showing they were made in China during the Qing dynasty.

    This exhibition invites visitors to view Okinawan ceramics alongside the Chinese ceramics prized and passed down by the Ryukyu people.

 Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
 Major works in this exhibition
* Works listed below are in the TNM Collection unless otherwise indicated.
Karakara: Liquor Pot with Spout, Carved checker design with overglaze enamel, Okinawa Main Island; Tsuboya ware, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, late 18th–19th century
Yushibin: Liquor Bottle, Green glaze, Okinawa Main Island; Tsuboya ware, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, late 18th–19th century
Sejara: Small Dishes, Peony design in overglaze enamel, Okinawa Main Island, Tsuboya ware, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, late 18th–19th century
Chuka: Pot for Liquor or Tea with Spout, Crab design in overglaze enamel, Okinawa Main Island; Tsuboya ware, Second Sho dynasty, Ryukyu kingdom, late 18th–19th century
Lidded Bowls, Design of gourds and butterflies in overglaze enamel; design of deer and cranes in famille rose enamel, Jingdezhen ware, China, 19th century

Pamphlet

Yachimun – Okinawan Ceramics
Yachimun – Okinawan Ceramics
(In Japanese)

The pamphlet is distributed in Information, Honkan during the thematic exhibition periods

PDFPDF, 7.2MB)

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Japanese Gallery (Honkan) Room 14  July 2, 2019 (Tue)   14:00 - 14:30   RESERVE_DAY