Family History

       


 






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Hizen ware: kikus and basins
 Lithograph by Chataignon, c. 1875
 

A A — Pair of faceted basins, of fine Hizen porcelain, decorated with floral designs, scrollwork, and interrupted diapers. Diameter: 6 inches.
B — Fluted basin, of old Hizen porcelain, richly painted with conventional floral designs and diaper-work. Diameter: 7¾ inches.
C — Basin, of old kiku ware, decorated with flowers and foliage, scrollwork, and medallions, in rich colours. Diameter: 7¼ inches.
D — Basin, of old Hizen porcelain, decorated in the archaic style peculiar to examples of this rare manufacture. Diameter: 9½ inches.
E — Basin, of Hizen porcelain, elaborately decorated with dragons, ho-hos, and conventional designs. Diameter: 8 inches.
F — Basin, of fine old Hizen porcelain, very tastefully painted with sprays of mume and flowers. In the centre is a kiku of many petals. Diameter: 8½ inches.
G — Shallow basin, of fine old Hizen porcelain, quaintly decorated with irregularly shaped medallions, placed on a ground-work of diaper. The small medallion, erratically disposed in the centre space, is probably a crest. Diameter: 7¼ inches.
H — Shallow basin, of old kiku ware, very richly painted in the radiating compartments with diapers and floral sprays. Over these are placed seven kikus, irregularly disposed. The centre contains sprays of mume. This is a very fine specimen of this rare manufacture. Diameter: 9 inches.
I — Basin, of old kiku ware, decorated with scrollwork, hold diapers, and irregularly disposed medallions. Diameter: 7¼ inches.
J — Basin, of old kiku ware, formed of sixteen fluted compartments, springing from a large kiku in the centre, and decorated with several lesser kikus modelled in relief, and irregularly powdered over both exterior and interior. The fluted compartments are painted with diapers and other conventional designs. Diameter: 7¼ inches.
K — Shallow basin, of old Hizen porcelain, painted with scale diaper-work, fragment of a landscape, medallions, and two sprays of flowers tied together with a knot, in a style savouring much of Dutch art. Diameter: 6 inches.
 

Hizen ware, originating from Japan’s Hizen Province (modern-day Saga and Nagasaki Prefectures) during the Edo period, is particularly renowned for its refinement, technical precision, and decorative richness. Emerging in the early 17th century, it was among the first porcelain made in Japan, influenced by Chinese and Korean techniques, but developed into a distinctly Japanese art form. Many associated with the distinctive kiku (chrysanthemum) style are adorned with a broad range of motifs including floral sprays, mume blossoms, dragons, ho-hos, and stylised scrollwork. Diaper patterns feature prominently, applied in radiating compartments, scale-like arrangements, or as intricate backgrounds for medallions and crests, some of which are presented in relief or shaped irregularly. Certain pieces exhibit fluted or faceted forms, enhancing the play of light on their surfaces and adding a sculptural quality to the decoration. The painting styles vary from formal symmetry to a more erratic or asymmetrical distribution of design elements, and in some cases, the use of colour and composition suggests an influence from Dutch decorative traditions, reflecting the international exchanges of the Edo period. Hizen ware became highly sought after both domestically and abroad, particularly through exports by the Dutch East India Company to Europe, where it was prized and even influenced European porcelain production. Its varied forms—such as basins, dishes, and vases—and the sophistication of its decoration demonstrate the artisans’ mastery and the ware’s status as a major achievement in Japanese craftsmanship.