  
Kyoto ware: figures Row 1. A — Seated figure, in faience, of light tint, covered with thin glaze, crackled, and decorated with quiet-toned enamel colours and gold. The figure represents Kan Wu, a very brave warrior and patriot, who is said to have distinguished himself in fighting for the restoration of the Chinese dynasty of Kan. He is usually to be distinguished in art by the great length of his beard, which is reputed to have measured four hands. Height: 11 inches. B — Figure of goat, standing against a stump of a tree, in fine Kyoto faience. This composition has all the appearance of having been copied from a European — probably Dutch — design. The goat is not a native of Japan, but it seems that both sheep and goats were kept by the Portuguese and Dutch at Firando. Height: 10 inches. C — Figure of a crane at the trunk of a tree, apparently the pink mume, modelled in light tinted faience, and cleverly coloured with quiet-toned enamels, and hatched with gold. The crane design, though strictly Japanese, resembles the goat piece (B) in treatment in all essential respects. The dates of these pieces are uncertain; but it is probable that the practice of modelling such subjects in pottery and porcelain originated with the Japanese artists, and was copied by the Western potters, with the result of flooding the market with weak and meaningless work, so much of which was found in collections of early European wares. Height: 13 inches. Row 2. D — Figure of Daikoku, the household god of riches, in fine quality faience, tastefully decorated with borders and powderings on his garments, and with religious symbols on his treasure sack. Height: 5 inches. E — Figure of Yebis, the household god of food. This figure is cleverly modelled and very humorously treated. It is in fine faience, of a cream tint and decorated with bright coloured enamels. Height: 6½ inches. F — Figure of Hotei, the household god of contentment. This is a companion to Daikoku (D), and is treated in a similar style throughout. Height: 4½ inches. Row 3. G — Figure of an astronomer, modelled in fine quality faience, and elaborately decorated with rich enamels and gold. The richness of the robes probably indicates this learned man to have been a noble of high rank. His name is not known. Height: 10 inches. H — Figure of child, playing with a lacquer dish, in the form of a sake cup. This piece is in cream-tinted faience, richly painted and gilded. Height: 9½ inches. I — Figure of Hito-maro, a famous poet, who is said to have lived about one thousand three hundred years ago. This piece is of fine quality light-toned faience, well-modelled, and tastefully decorated with diapers and powderings in colours and gold. Height: 6 inches. Lithograph, by Audet, published 1875.
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